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Priority Communicable Diseases in South America Program

2013-04-18 20:16:06

About the PCPCD

The Prevention and Control of Priority Communicable Diseases (PCPCD) Program, funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), aims to improve the health of vulnerable and hard to reach populations in four target countries in South America by integrating recognized global and regional strategies. Projects have been implemented in Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru, interfacing Stop TB, Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI), Chagas disease, sexually transmitted infections and dengue prevention and control strategies with a gender equality cross cutting component and a continual focus on the sustainability of its achievements.

The PCPCD was initiated in 2002 for an eight year period in the amount of $CAD 12 million.

Description of the PCPCD

PAHO is working closely with national counterparts in each of the participating countries to achieve the following objectives:

Chagas Disease

To design and implement a surveillance system for Chagas disease with active community participation including schools in endemic areas of Paraguay; to strengthen vector control and community based surveillance in the Southern Region of Peru (Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna); and, to strengthen epidemiological and entomological surveillance of Chagas disease with community participation in the provinces of El Oro, Guayas, Loja and Manabi in Ecuador.

Dengue

To promote the adoption of the Integrated Management Strategy for dengue prevention and control (PAHO Directing Council Resolution CD44.R9 2003) and the development of national integrated dengue plans in all participating countries. Support is also provided for the implementation of the clinical attention, surveillance (entomological and epidemiological) and social communication components of the Strategy (EGI-Dengue, available in Spanish).

Gender Equality

To promote gender awareness in communicable diseases among health professionals that includes gender sensitivity training, the collection and analysis of health data by sex and the integration of a gender approach in program planning and implementation in Ecuador and Paraguay.

Integrated Health Program in the Paraguayan Chaco

To address the health priorities of the indigenous and creole populations with an intercultural focus and make more effective use of limited human resources using a primary health care approach in the participating communities.

Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI)

To introduce changes in the academic curricula of health professions (nursing, medicine, public health) in target areas in order to include the principles of the IMCI strategy and improve primary health care services to reduce mortality from diseases and health problems in children under 5 years of age.

Sexually Transmitted Infections

To strengthen the capacity to expand the prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections in Paraguay, with special attention to gender issues and socioeconomic status. The PCPCD actions are focused on syphilis and congenital syphilis and contribute to the national effort to eliminate congenital syphilis.

Tuberculosis

To implement the Stop TB strategy for tuberculosis control among indigenous populations in Colombia using a community participation model. Based on the health priorities of the populations, IMCI actions were incorporated in 2006 to develop an integrated TB/IMCI program for this population group.


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