WASHINGTON, D.C. – The course of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the Americas remains “highly uncertain”, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) said on Wednesday in an update to its 59th directing council meeting of health ministers.
Surges in cases in the first half of this year, coupled with vaccine hesitancy and shortages continue to pose a challenge to halting the spread of COVID-19 in the region.
The 28-page report outlined PAHO’s response to the pandemic since the first case was detected in the Americas in January last year.
To date, the region continues to be the hardest hit, with 88,207,746 confirmed cases and 2,175,310 deaths.
The report stated that the suppression of COVID-19 in the Americas will continue to require a comprehensive response, with sustained health services network capacities, public health and social measures, targetted vaccination operations, and outbreak control actions, such as early detection, investigation and isolation of cases, and tracing and quarantine of contacts.
“We are in the fight of our lives against the SARS-CoV2 virus,” PAHO director Dr Carissa F. Etienne told delegates. “We need to make sure that we win.”
She added that financial resources to combat COVID-19 may be less next year.
“We will not get out of this pandemic without solidarity,” she said.
The availability of COVID-19 vaccines continues to be limited, the report said, and many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean face inequities in access.
Vaccine hesitancy, the report added, may further slow uptake by the population or prevent full achievement of vaccination potential.
PAHO health emergencies director Dr Ciro Ugarte provided an update on the organisation’s response. Since January last year, he said, PAHO provided 21.5 million COVD-19 PCR tests to countries, along with 7.3 million rapid diagnostic tests, along with personal protective equipment (PPE) to 35 countries, including 42 million masks.
“279 training sessions were provided on testing, tracking, care and other topics, along with 171 technical guidelines published,” Dr Ugarte said.
Emergency medical teams coordinated by PAHO have helped in the response, Dr Ugarte said, providing more than 14 000 additional hospital beds, including 1 477 critical care beds to countries throughout the region.
“PAHO will continue to support countries in developing and adapting strategies for the continuity of priority public health programs and services, while responding to COVID-19,” he said.
Key challenges ahead, Dr Ugarte said, include maintaining essential health services, reaching priority groups with vaccines, adapting and expanding surveillance, improving clinical management of cases and of infection prevention and control in health facilities, as well as obtaining additional resources to buy vaccines, PPEs equipment, and diagnostic supplies.
Among the lessons learned, Dr. Ugarte said, “…are that public health and social measures must continue even where acceptable vaccination coverage exists, and that continuous planning for responsive health care service delivery during COVID-19 surges remains critical for the medium/long term.”
(CMC)
