Washington D.C., July 22, 2025 (PAHO) - During April and May 2025, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) carried out a virtual learning series to support Caribbean countries in updating their National Pandemic Preparedness and Response Plans (NPPRP) for respiratory pathogens.
During each webinar, regional advisors described the recommendations for each of the five operational components within the global Pandemic Preparedness and Resilience to Emerging Threats (PRET) initiative and specific considerations for countries from the subregion. With the participation of twelve countries —Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten and Trinidad & Tobago– the series highlighted how coordinated efforts across surveillance, emergency coordination, clinical care, risk communication, and access to countermeasures can mitigate the fallout of respiratory viruses with pandemic potential.
The first session, held on April 24, focused on Emergency Coordination, emphasizing the importance of strengthening national command and control systems. Countries explored recommendations on how to activate emergency operations effectively, define decision-making roles, and coordinate actions across sectors.
On April 30, the second session addressed two components: Clinical Management and Community Protection with a focus on Public Health and Social Measures. It covered surge planning, infection prevention and control in health care settings, and the continuation of essential services. Recommendations to include community-level measures to reduce transmission in NPPRP were also discussed.
The third session, on May 14, focused on Collaborative Surveillance. Participants discussed how the efforts under development to sustain epidemiological surveillance, strengthen information systems and laboratory networks, and to integrate animal and environmental surveillance are essential to improve early detection of threats.
On May 20, the fourth session explored Community Protection, with a particular focus on Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE). During this webinar, participants learned about strategies to counter misinformation, promote trust, and ensure inclusive and culturally sensitive communication during health emergencies.
The series concluded on May 27 with a session on Access to Countermeasures, which reviewed the most up-to-date recommendations on vaccination deployment during pandemics, including regulatory readiness, supply chain management, and coordination with international mechanisms.
Throughout the series, countries designated focal points and involved multisectoral teams, including officials from epidemiology, laboratories, immunization programs, emergency operations, and communication units.
The series of webinars was an opportunity for peer-exchange and reinforced the importance of regional and subregional efforts to prepare for future respiratory pandemics. By contextualizing global guidance to Caribbean realities and promoting multisectoral engagement, PAHO contributes to national planning efforts—motivating countries to update and operationalize their pandemic plans.
