Measles, rubella and respiratory viruses strategies enhanced in Panama

The Panamanian Ministry of Health (MINSA), with the backing of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), arranged an event to disseminate strategies for the prevention of infectious diseases, with a particular emphasis on measles, rubella, polio, and respiratory viruses. The event, organised between 11 and 13 December, 2024, encompassed theoretical and practical sessions, roundtable discussions and expert panels, involving approximately 100 participants, including representatives of surveillance programmes, the Extended Immunisation Programme (IAP) and laboratories from eight regions of the country. Panama’s commitment to public health is reflected in its efforts to eliminate measles and rubella through intensified vaccination activities and epidemiological surveillance, particularly in high-risk areas, alongside conducting community-based and institutional research and the deployment of rapid response teams trained to implement national health protocols. In order to strengthen the health systems within the country, a multifaceted approach is being adopted. This approach is centred on the enhancement of the capacity to detect the virus, the conducting of precise epidemiological analyses, and the leveraging of available data to assess the cost-effectiveness of various interventions. The emphasis is placed on vaccination campaigns.