The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has signed a strategic partnership with Argentina’s Mundo Sano Foundation to accelerate the elimination of neglected tropical diseases and cervical cancer across the Americas. The agreement, announced on May 27, 2026, aims to strengthen surveillance systems, improve healthcare access, and enhance prevention programs in underserved communities throughout the region.
Burden of Neglected Tropical Diseases in Latin America
Most affected diseases by estimated population at risk, millions of people
Source: PAHO, 2026 | Georgian Medical Journal News
Strategic Focus on Disease Elimination
The partnership specifically targets the elimination of several neglected tropical diseases that disproportionately affect poor and marginalized populations. According to the Pan American Health Organization, these diseases continue to cause significant morbidity and mortality despite being largely preventable and treatable.
Mundo Sano Foundation brings two decades of experience in community-based health interventions, particularly in Chagas disease control and lymphatic filariasis elimination. The organization has previously supported disease surveillance programs in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay.
Cervical Cancer Prevention Initiative
The agreement also establishes a comprehensive cervical cancer prevention program targeting underserved women across Latin America. According to World Health Organization data, cervical cancer remains the fourth most common cancer in women globally, with over 90% of cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
The program will focus on expanding access to HPV vaccination, improving screening coverage, and strengthening treatment capacity in rural and indigenous communities. The initiative aligns with WHO’s global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2030, requiring 90% vaccination coverage, 70% screening coverage, and 90% treatment coverage.
Implementation and Geographic Scope
The partnership will initially focus on countries with the highest burden of neglected tropical diseases, including Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and several Central American nations. PAHO’s technical cooperation will support the development of integrated surveillance systems that can track multiple diseases simultaneously.
The agreement leverages existing disease surveillance frameworks established by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other international partners.
“Neglected tropical diseases affect more than 200 million people in the Americas, with the poorest populations bearing 90% of the disease burden despite representing only 20% of the regional population”
— Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director (PAHO Strategic Plan, 2026)
Key takeaways
- PAHO and Mundo Sano Foundation partnership targets elimination of multiple neglected tropical diseases affecting 200 million people in the Americas
- Comprehensive cervical cancer prevention program will expand HPV vaccination and screening in underserved communities
- Integrated surveillance systems will track multiple diseases simultaneously
Frequently asked questions
What are neglected tropical diseases?
Neglected tropical diseases are a group of communicable diseases that primarily affect poor and marginalized populations in tropical and subtropical regions. They include conditions like Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, and soil-transmitted helminth infections.
How effective are cervical cancer prevention programs?
According to WHO data, well-implemented cervical cancer prevention programs can reduce cancer incidence by up to 80%. Countries with high HPV vaccination and screening coverage have demonstrated substantial decreases in cervical cancer rates within 10-15 years of program implementation.
Which countries will benefit from this partnership?
The program will initially focus on countries with the highest disease burden, including Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and several Central American nations. The partnership aims to expand to additional countries based on epidemiological needs and implementation capacity.
The PAHO-Mundo Sano partnership represents a significant step forward in addressing health inequities that have persisted across the Americas for decades. By combining PAHO’s technical expertise with Mundo Sano’s community-based implementation experience, the initiative has the potential to substantially reduce the burden of preventable diseases in the region’s most vulnerable populations.
