PAHO and World Bank launch PROTECT project to strengthen pandemic response in South America – PAHO/WHO
Washington, DC, July 1, 2024 – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Bank today launched the PROTECT Projectan initiative to improve the response to the pandemic in seven South American countries. The initiative, funded by a grant from The Pandemic Fund of nearly $17 million, will focus on optimizing surveillance and laboratory systems in the border regions of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The PROTECT Project, launched at PAHO headquarters in Washington, DC, aims to improve early detection, characterization, and response to emerging zoonotic diseases that can trigger a pandemic and will focus on rural and remote communities in the Amazon basin. These areas face unique challenges, including biodiversity with high potential for the emergence of pathogens that can drive epidemics or pandemics, as animal reservoirs or disease vectors.
«PROTECT represents a crucial step toward stronger preparedness for epidemic and pandemic threats in the Amazon basin,» said PAHO Director Jarbas Barbosa. «By strengthening the capacity to detect pathogens with epidemic potential and implementing surveillance and early warning systems for emerging and re-emerging diseases, we will protect vulnerable communities in border areas and reduce the impact of future pandemics in the Americas.»
By engaging a diverse coalition, PROTECT brings together the Ministries of Health and Agriculture, PAHO/WHO, the World Bank, and the Pan American Center for Foot and Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health of PAHO (PANAFTOSA).
“We welcome this joint collaboration. At the World Bank, we are committed to offering our experience, knowledge, and support to strengthen the One Health approach in Latin America and the Caribbean, and to prevent pandemics like COVID-19 from taking us by surprise again,” said Jaime Saavedra, Director of Human Development for Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Bank. “Political commitment from governments and better coordination between all sectors is urgently needed to save lives together,” he added.
Over the next three years, PROTECT is expected to benefit more than 2.4 million people, including indigenous, non-indigenous and riverine communities. Activities will focus on strengthening early warning surveillance, modernizing and increasing the efficiency of laboratories, and promoting regional coordination for a more effective and collaborative response to the pandemic.
“The Pandemic Fund’s PROTECT project marks an important milestone in our collective efforts to advance global health security,” said Priya Basu, Executive Director of the Pandemic Fund. “Investments are focused on building integrated zoonotic disease early warning and surveillance systems, laboratories, and a responsive workforce through a One Health approach. In addition, the project is driving cooperation and coordination across sectors, partners, and countries. I want to thank our partners for their commitment and look forward to the results.”
The One Health approach focuses on the interconnections between human health, animal health and the environment. One Health enables comprehensive and sustainable actions to address public health threats.
Representatives from the Ministries of Health, Agriculture and Environment of the seven countries involved, as well as the PANAFTOSA team, attended the launch event virtually.
About the Pandemic Fund
He Pandemic FundThe Fund, established in 2022 and formally launched in November 2023, is the first multilateral financing mechanism dedicated to providing multi-year grants to help low- and middle-income countries be better prepared for future pandemics. In its first round of funding allocations, the Fund approved grants for 37 countries around the world.
