Washington, D.C., 1 October 2026 (PAHO) – Member States of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) approved a common regional framework aimed at strengthening surveillance, prevention, preparedness and integrated response to dengue and other arboviral diseases across the Americas over the next decade.
The document, adopted during PAHO’s 63rd Directing Council, establishes a regional roadmap to help countries address an increasingly complex epidemiological landscape characterized by larger outbreaks, the simultaneous circulation of multiple arboviruses, and the geographic expansion of disease vectors.
Its adoption follows a decade marked by increasingly frequent and widespread epidemics. In 2024, the Region of the Americas recorded more than 13 million dengue cases and over 8,400 deaths, the largest epidemic on record.
In recent years, the Region has also faced major chikungunya outbreaks, the spread of Oropouche virus disease beyond its traditional transmission areas, and an increase in yellow fever cases in new geographic locations.
The simultaneous circulation of multiple arboviruses, together with climatic, environmental and social factors and increasing population mobility, highlights the need to strengthen countries’ capacities in surveillance, laboratory services, clinical care, vector control, risk communication, community engagement and epidemic preparedness.
“The scale of dengue and other arboviral diseases requires countries to strengthen their ability to anticipate risks, act early, and protect the most vulnerable populations,” said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of PAHO. “This document provides a common roadmap for strengthening surveillance systems, health services and integrated response capacities to tackle outbreaks that are becoming increasingly frequent and complex.”
The strategy establishes four priority areas for action: strengthening integrated arboviral disease management; enhancing epidemiological, entomological and virological surveillance; improving health system capacity for early detection, diagnosis and clinical management; and modernizing integrated vector management through more sustainable and innovative approaches.
A key objective is to help countries move from predominantly reactive responses to more anticipatory, risk-based approaches. To achieve this, the strategy promotes the integration of epidemiological, entomological, virological and laboratory data to strengthen early warning systems, improve risk assessment and support more timely decision-making during outbreaks and epidemics.
“The strategy builds on lessons learned over the past decade and incorporates new tools to strengthen collaborative surveillance and improve coordination among surveillance systems, laboratories, health services and vector control programs,” said Dr. Sylvain Aldighieri, Director of PAHO’s Department of Communicable Disease Prevention, Control and Elimination. “This will help countries respond earlier, in a more coordinated way, and more effectively to emerging threats.”
The strategy also incorporates innovative vector-control technologies, including the use of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, which have a reduced capacity to transmit viruses, and the release of irradiated mosquitoes. It further strengthens collaborative surveillance, the use of digital tools, and the One Health approach, which recognizes the interconnection between human, animal and environmental health.
PAHO will provide technical cooperation to countries and territories across the Region to support implementation of the regional strategy approved by Member States. Technical implementation will be guided by the Integrated Management Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Arboviral Diseases (EGI-Arbovirus) 2026–2035, which serves as the Organization's technical and methodological reference framework. Progress will be monitored through regional reports scheduled for 2031 and 2036.
