In Latin America and the Caribbean, health systems face mounting pressures from factors such as migration, tourism, and shortages of frontline workers, while rising temperatures and natural disasters increase the risk of waterborne and vector-borne diseases. This interconnectedness amplifies the region’s vulnerability to cross-border outbreaks, as demonstrated by recent dengue and Zika epidemics. Experts warn that the likelihood of another pandemic within the next 25 years exceeds 50 percent, prompting countries across the region to intensify efforts to strengthen pandemic preparedness.
The Pandemic Fund has supported these initiatives with approximately US$130 million in grants across nine projects covering 21 countries and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), which serves 26 member states. These grants have leveraged an additional US$394 million in co-financing and US$187 million in co-investment from domestic and international resources. Investments focus on enhancing disease surveillance, early warning systems, laboratory networks, and workforce development, helping countries better prepare for and respond to health threats.
Tourism, critical to Caribbean economies, increases the risk of infectious disease transmission. CARPHA, supported by a US$16 million Pandemic Fund grant, has strengthened pandemic defenses through a coordinated regional approach. This includes the development of a Mass Gathering Surveillance System that monitored 240,000 visitors during the men’s cricket World Cup, enabling officials to respond within 24 hours to respiratory and gastroenteritis threats. The project has also established a regional One Health platform integrating human, animal, and environmental health data and hosted workshops to enhance emergency response and early warning systems.
The Pandemic Fund emphasizes a One Health approach, recognizing the interconnection of human, animal, and environmental health. In Guyana, a US$15.6 million grant is modernizing disease surveillance systems, enhancing laboratory capacity across sectors, monitoring antimicrobial resistance, training the workforce, and improving cross-sector coordination. In Paraguay, integrated information management systems, upgraded digital infrastructure, and updated AMR plans are strengthening health data systems and laying the foundation for AI-supported surveillance.
Community engagement is central to protecting underserved populations. In the Amazon Basin, where environmental changes create unique health risks, the US$16.9 million PROTECT project strengthens community-based surveillance and improves primary healthcare access for over 350 Indigenous ethnic groups and riverine populations across Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Uruguay. In Brazil, health surveillance innovation labs have been launched in remote areas, while Colombia has achieved near-national coverage in risk communication training, mobilizing communities effectively during outbreaks.
These regional initiatives are part of the Pandemic Fund’s global portfolio of nearly US$7 billion, spanning 75 countries. By providing catalytic financing, fostering collaboration, and promoting multisectoral approaches, the Fund is helping Latin America and the Caribbean strengthen health security, resilience, and preparedness for future pandemics, while also safeguarding the well-being and livelihoods of communities today.
