Veterinary professionals from 15 countries in the Americas gathered in Panama City for the first in-person workshop of the Latin America Edition 2025/2026 of the Regional Program for the Systematic Education of Veterinary Services (ProgRESSVet). The workshop focused on strengthening epidemiological surveillance and early detection of avian influenza. Participants had been engaged in the program’s virtual phase since March 2025, and the initiative is coordinated by the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety at the University of Minnesota, in partnership with PANAFTOSA/PAHO, OIRSA, and the PAHO Office in Panama.
The 2025/2026 edition of ProgRESSVet brought together 45 veterinarians from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay. The workshop is particularly timely given the global spread of the highly contagious Avian Influenza A(H5N1) virus, which affects both wild and domestic birds and can occasionally infect mammals and humans. The virus has caused outbreaks worldwide since 1996, with recent circulation of clade 2.3.4.4b creating unprecedented mortality in birds and highlighting the need for enhanced surveillance.
The program also focuses on the development of an online early warning tool for the introduction risk of avian influenza. Developed in collaboration with the Animal Health Research Center in Spain, the pilot version was presented at the workshop for technical review and feedback, with plans for adaptation to national contexts. This tool aims to strengthen response capacity in participating countries by providing early alerts and supporting risk analysis.
Beyond technical training, the workshop reinforced regional collaboration and the exchange of expertise among veterinary services. The discussions helped consolidate a preliminary plan to integrate early warning tools into national surveillance systems, aligned with each country’s capacities and needs. Strengthening these systems improves coordination between veterinary and environmental sectors, enhancing wildlife monitoring, disease response, and overall health risk management.
The ProgRESSVet workshop emphasizes a One Health approach, promoting collaboration across animal, human, and environmental sectors. By building technical capacity and regional networks, the initiative supports animal protection, public health, food security, biodiversity, and international trade. Through this cooperation, countries in the Americas are better positioned to respond to the evolving challenges of avian influenza.
