ONE HEALTH - Action Track 3
Controlling and eliminating endemic zoonotic, neglected tropical and vector borne diseases
ONE HEALTH: A Comprehensive Approach for Addressing Health Threats at the Human-Animal-Environment Interface
Action track 3 “Controlling and eliminating endemic zoonotic, neglected tropical and vector-borne diseases” focuses on the prevention, surveillance, control, and elimination of Neglected Infectious Diseases (NIDs). Since most of NIDs are zoonotic diseases, to tackle them, it is essential to promote the intersectoral coordination and integration of strategies and interventions within the human-animal-environmental interface, in line with the One Health approach, and ensuring efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability.
PAHO promotes the coordination and integration of strategies aimed at humans (diagnosis and early and adequate treatment), and vectors, including management of the environment to reduce its proliferation and interventions among animal reservoirs. Therefore, there are promoted and applied intersectoral and integrated actions to address all aspects of the neglected zoonotic tropical diseases (NTZD) in the endemic countries, which implies working on national and regional policies.
Partnerships
- Andean Community (CAN)
- Caribbean Animal Health Network (CARIBVET)
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)
- International Regional Organization for Plant and Animal Health (OIRSA)
- Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC)
- Permanent Veterinary Committee of the South Cone (CVP)
- World Animal Protection (WAP)
- World Bank (WB)
- World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)
Best practices
- Promote the conformation of National Zoonosis committees, and periodic meetings where recent NTZD epidemiological situation can be shared and coordinated actions can be defined accordingly as to tackle NTZD.
- Support the coordination at national, subnational, and local levels, of national health professionals of different sectors (human, animal, and environmental) to define a coordinate response to NTDs.
- Development of technical documents and operational guidelines to tackle diseases with One Health approach which includes strategies towards the environment, vector control and animal reservoirs.
- Support the access to treatment products for the affected populations:
- Since 2022, a five-year agreement was signed between WHO and the pharmaceutical company Bayer for the donation of treatment of people exposed to or infected by the pork tapeworm Taenia solium. PAHO has worked in close collaboration with WHO to obtain data and interest from the countries to reinforce the agreement.
- An innovative treatment option based on the combination of dimeticones has been made available to Member States through the PAHO Strategic Fund to treat tungiasis.
Virtual Courses
Directed technical cooperation and country experiences.
- Technical cooperation carried out in Guatemala, to strengthen surveillance and control of cutaneous leishmaniasis (endemic areas), as well as 2 focus studies (Maraxco, Chiquimula and San Agustin, El Progreso) for visceral leishmaniasis.
- Technical cooperation carried out in León, Nicaragua, to strengthen the surveillance and control of visceral leishmaniasis, through focus study (for visceral leishmaniasis).
- Technical cooperation carried out in Villamontes, Tarija, Bolivia, in response to an outbreak of visceral leishmaniasis. Where actions for human, vectors, and animal reservoirs, and environmental management were promoted.
- Support implementation of fascioliasis study in the Northern Bolivian Altiplano human, with aim of: 1) Monitoring efficacy of the yearly campaigns of preventive chemotherapy against human fascioliasis; 2) Monitoring efficacy of triclabendazole for the treatment of human fascioliasis; 3) Monitoring STH situation and efficacy of previous mebendazole/albendazole campaigns of preventive chemotherapy.
- T. solium mapping tool to identify endemic and high-risk areas developed. Includes a protocol, an Excel tool, and a video. Developed with some PAHO countries conducting the mapping (mainly Guatemala) and refined with inputs from countries from other regions. Tool is now used by various countries coordinating among the three sectors involved in the transmission of the disease.
- Support the use of "sample size calculator" to facilitate program managers calculating the number of samples to be taken to confirm endemicity, or to conduct monitoring and evaluation of a control program.
- Support on the development of Fascioliasis Regional Action Plan to help countries in the elimination of disease as a public health problem by 2030. A systematic review of the distribution and epidemiology of fascioliasis in the Region of the Americas, was implemented during the last ten years, followed by a series of virtual consultative meetings with fascioliasis program managers of endemic countries.
- Technical cooperation for the development of the Intersectoral MINSA/SENASA Comprehensive Plan for the surveillance, prevention, and control of cystic echinococcosis/hydatidosis, fasciolosis, and the cysticercosis taeniasis complex in Perú, integrating public health and animal health.
- A meeting with experts was carried out in May 2022 to address the use of existing diagnostic tools in public health programs (targeted both human and animal reservoir.
- Development and maintenance of the Regional Information System for the Epidemiological Surveillance of Rabies (SIRVERA), 2023.
- 16th Meeting of Rabies Program Directors in the Americas (REDIPRA), 2017.
- Technical cooperation on the development and implementation of pilot project for preexposure prophylaxis for Amazon Basin riverine population at risk for rabies mediated by hematophagous bat.
- Execution of binational vaccination campaigns against rabies of canine population in border areas of the Latin America.
- RELAPA’s virtual technical and strategic seminars to promote the exchange of experience and discussion between the laboratories, addressing the chapters of the WHO Guide for the production, control and regulation of antivenom immunoglobulins in snakes.
- Technical cooperation for the planification and execution of rabies vaccination campaigns of the canine population in Haiti.
- Active participation annually in the Rabies In The Americas (RITA) Congress, participation on roundtables, publishing articles and presentations in every edition of the event.
- Active participation in the One Health Congress approaching the theme from the perspective of Veterinary Public Health.
- Promotion and execution of technical mission for support, assistance, exchange of information on good manufacturing practice, processes, infrastructure, and capacity building between RELAPA’s Public Laboratories Producers of Antivenoms.
- Technical cooperation for control and eradication of bovine brucellosis and tuberculosis in Bolivia.
- Technical cooperation to evaluate and restructure animal brucellosis control program in Ecuador.
- Evaluation of the small ruminant’s brucellosis outbreak in the veterinary faculty (UNA) of Paraguay.
- Review of the National Program for the Control and Eradication of Bovine Brucellosis and Tuberculosis (PNCEBT) of Brazil.
- Evaluation of the Brucellosis outbreak in the Province of Chiriquí, Panama.
- Zoonosis Virtual Seminar on Methodologies for estimating canine population applied to the combat of zoonoses, 2022.
- Comprehensive approach to ruminant brucellosis in Panama.
- Technical cooperation for the development of the Intersectoral MINSA/SENASA Comprehensive Plan for the surveillance, prevention, and control of cystic echinococcosis/hydatidosis, fasciolosis, and the cysticercosis taeniasis complex in Perú, integrating public health and animal health.
- Virtual meetings with the directors of rabies national programs during COVID-19 pandemic upon how to maintain vaccination campaign during the pandemic, surveillance and diagnosis of rabies, situation of livestock rabies in the Latin America, and investigation of rabies outbreaks.
- "Integrated Approach to Brucellosis within the One Health framework" case studies and successful experiences in aspects related to brucellosis within the framework of public health, animal health and food safety.
Guidelines, Norms, Relevant Publications and Support Documents Related to Action Track 3
