GAFFI and PAHO Join Forces to Combat Fungal Disease in Latin America and the Caribbean – PAHO/WHO
May 14, 2024 – The Global Action Fund for Fungal Infections (GAFFI) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together to improve the diagnosis and treatment of fungal diseases.
The agreement, which formalizes years of successful collaboration between the two agencies to improve patient health, focuses on cooperation to reduce the impact of fungal diseases in the Americas through the implementation of public health interventions, surveillance and prevention strategies. research directed at the most important fungal pathogens.
According to the MoU, GAFFI and PAHO:
- Coordinate the participation of expert professionals and activities at the national and regional level;
- Provide technical cooperation and expertise for the development of guidelines and protocols related to screening, surveillance, laboratory testing and clinical management, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) where appropriate;
- Contribute to research and evidence for the development of biobanks, digital databases and genomic research;
- Provide training and capacity development to human resources, including doctors, laboratory technicians, nurses and microbiologists, among others;
- Advance advocacy and awareness to promote the importance of AI in fungal disease research and evidence-based practices;
- Provide links to global programs and initiatives to ensure alignment and coordination of efforts to address global fungal disease health challenges, including those related to the application of AI in health.
PAHO and GAFFI plan to leverage the experience of successful pilot clinical centers established in Guatemala and Argentina by expanding these centers throughout the continent.
The burden of invasive fungal infections has increased in recent years due to the increased prevalence of immunocompromised patients. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), particularly related to the fungus Candida, has also become a common cause of healthcare-associated infections, especially in adults and children in intensive care units. The collaboration between GAFFI and PAHO not only addresses the challenge of diagnosing and controlling fungal infections and AMR, but also reinforces a key approach outlined in the WHO Priority List of Fungal Pathogens.
Note to editors
The Global Action Fund for Fungal Infections (GAFFI) has been the leading global nonprofit voice advocating to overcome life-altering fungal diseases since 2013. GAFFI The mission is to enable health systems, especially in lower middle and middle income countries, to effectively diagnose and treat fungal diseases. As a Geneva-based Foundation, GAFFI is the main advocacy and fundraising body for several implementing partners, including national and international governments and global health agencies.
He Pan American Health Organization (OPS) works with the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of their population. Founded in 1902, it is the oldest international public health agency in the world. It acts as the WHO Regional Office for the Americas and is the specialized health agency of the inter-American system.
