The Meeting of Rabies Programs Directors of the Americas (REDIPRA) was established as a result of RIMSA III and the 21st session of the PAHO Executive Committee. The first REDIPRA meeting took place in December 1983 in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where strategies and the "Action Plan for the Elimination of Urban Rabies in the Major Cities of Latin America" were approved. Since then, 16 meetings have been held.
The objectives of these biennial meetings are as follows:
- Review the strategies of the regional plan for the prevention of human rabies.
- Provide recommendations to countries and PAHO/WHO to complete the elimination process.
- Strengthen solidarity bonds.
- Formulate cooperation projects among countries to eliminate rabies.