Regional Approach to Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response
Latin American CDC
Latin America, significantly impacted by global
health crises like COVID-19, needs a more
coordinated response system. Despite having only
8.2% of the world’s population, the region reported
80 million COVID-19 cases and 1.7 million deaths.
Fragmented national responses and a lack of regional
cooperation exacerbated these challenges.
Research and analysis have highlighted the urgent
need for better coordination among public health
responses in the region.
The AHF Global Public Health Institute for Latin
America and the Caribbean has been working with
academic institutions and public health experts on
proposals that can strengthen the regional health
These collaborations led to the publication of
a commentary in the prestigious The Lancet calling
for the creation of a Latin American Regional Centre
for Disease Control and Prevention (LATAM CDC)
The proposed LATAM CDC aims to address these
issues by enhancing regional coordination and
resource sharing.
This center would facilitate cooperation among
countries, improve disease surveillance, and
standardize public health practices. Involving diverse
stakeholders from governments to civil society, the
LATAM-CDC would strengthen health systems and
ensure timely responses to health emergencies,
ultimately safeguarding public health across
the region.
Select Publications
The Lancet
Patricia J Garcia, Jorge Saavedra, et al.
June 29, 2024