Eight Ibero-American countries meet in Argentina to reduce the impact of congenital Chagas

Under the motto “No baby with Chagas: the path to new generations liberated from Chagas”, eight Ibero-American countries meet at the Argentina, from this Monday to March 7, to reduce the impact of congenital Chagas disease in the region. It is Brazil, Colombia, Spain, Paraguay, Guatemala, Honduras there The Savior.

Thus, as indicated by the Ministry of Health of the Nation, the III Meeting of the Intergovernmental Council of the Ibero-American Initiative on Congenital Chagas. The aim is to reduce the impact of congenital Chagas disease, ie to reduce the transmission of the disease from mother to child.

Representatives of health authorities from member countries are part of the meeting, such as: Juan Manuel Castelli, Undersecretary for Health Strategies, Ministry of Health of the Nation (Argentina); Vidalia Lesmo Fernández, Head of the National Chagas Disease Control Program, Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare (Paraguay); Mauricio Javier Vera Soto, Coordinator of the Endemoepidemic Diseases Group, Subdirectorate for Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health and Social Protection (Colombia); Alma María Da Cruz, Director of the Department of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health (Brazil) and Eduardo Romero, Head of Vector-borne Diseases Unit, Ministry of Health (El Salvador).

In addition, this conclave was joined by Eva Jané Llopis, representative in Argentina of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO); Adriana Osset, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Technician of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB) and Marcelo Abril, Technical Secretary of the Initiative and Executive Director of the Mundo Sano Foundation, designated as Technical Unit.

The Ibero-American Initiative aims interrupt transmission of congenital Chagas disease. This is why, during the two days, the representatives work on the definition of the territories of each member country so that, once this objective has been achieved, they can put in place actions, with their respective indicators and objectives, to reduce the Impact of maternity – infant – child transmission of Chagas disease.

Chagas disease is endemic in 21 countries in the Americas and affects 6 to 8 million people worldwide, including 1.2 million women of childbearing age. With which, it has become the neglected pathology with the highest health burden in Latin America. Currently, both inside and outside Latin America, mother-to-child transmission is the main mode of transmission.

According to official data, it is estimated that 9,000 babies inherit the disease from their mother. Since the majority of those affected do not access diagnosis and treatment in time to avoid the consequences on people’s health.

This measure, which promotes meetings on Argentine soil, was endorsed in 2021, during the XXVII Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, held in Andorra. At that time it took the name of “Ibero-American Initiative on Congenital Chagas: No Baby with Chagas” and the objective of contribute to the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of Chagas disease of a multidimensional approach.

For all participating nations, this commitment of the Ibero-American countries with international cooperation in the field of health and, in particular, with those affected by Chagas’ disease, is very encouraging.

As they explained, thanks to this initiative, health systems are strengthened in terms of prevention, timely diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of Chagas’ disease. Since special emphasis has been placed on women of childbearing age, pregnant women and newborns.

The initiative belongs to the Ibero-American countries that adhere to it. Currently, it has the participation of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Spain as full members, and El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Paraguay as guest countries. The presidency is in charge of Brazil and the technical unit is the Mundo Sano Foundation.

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