The Manual for Surveillance of Events Supposedly Attributable to Vaccination or Immunization in the Region of the Americas represented one of the first steps toward building the regional system for surveillance of events supposedly attributable to vaccination or immunization (ESAVIs) and adverse events of special interest (AESIs). This manual establishes that, after notification and investigation of an event, a national committee of experts should classify the event in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) causality classification.

In May 2024, the Pan American Health Organization issued alerts of increased numbers of cases of Oropouche fever in non-Amazonian regions in Latin America. Following this, an association between Oropouche fever and Guillain–Barré syndrome was reported in three patients in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Neurological manifestations have rarely been described in relation to Oropouche virus infection. Previously, encephalitis and meningoencephalitis have been associated with Oropouche virus infection, but now the virus seems also to be associated with Guillain–Barré syndrome.

For decades, the promise of “Leaving no one behind” has been an aspirational goal in global health – an ideal enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and echoed in countless declarations (1). Yet, for millions across the Americas, geographic isolation, socioeconomic disparities, and systemic barriers have long rendered this vision unattainable.

Objective

To analyze a community of practice, the Global Alliance for Nursing and Midwifery (GANM), and illustrate the evolution and sustainability of a virtual community of practice aimed at enhancing knowledge acquisition and dissemination. 

Methods

Retrospective content analysis of data gathered from the online tracking of GANM’s community activities, engagement data, and platform logistics was conducted and analyzed. 

Objectives

Congenital anomalies are an important cause of infant morbidity and mortality in Brazil. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of and main outcomes related to these anomalies in Brazil. 

Methods

This descriptive study was carried out using data from the Brazilian Information System on Live Births (known as Sinasc) and the Brazilian Mortality Information System (known as SIM) for births occurring from 2010 to 2022. 

Objectives

This study had two objectives: first, to estimate trends in affordability of sugar-sweetened beverages and nonessential energy-dense foods from 2010 to 2022 in Mexico, both nationally and by household income level. The second was to simulate the effects of different tax increases for these foods and beverages to observe how much their affordability would change compared with the current scenario. 

In October 2024, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) formally integrated surgical, intensive, and emergency care into its health agenda. This followed important events, including the June 2024 endorsement of the Strategy on Integrated Emergency, Critical and Operative Care 2025–2030 by the PAHO Executive Committee. This strategy builds on the 2015 World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution 68.15, which recognized surgery as essential to universal health coverage, and the 2023 WHA Resolution 76.2, which called for standardized emergency preparedness and response.

Objective

To evaluate the system for Health Surveillance of Populations Exposed to Chemical Substances (Vigipeq) in Brazil from 2011 to 2021. 

Objective

To identify barriers to and facilitators of access to perinatal mental health services among pregnant adolescents and young mothers in Belize. 

The establishment of a biobank in the Caribbean represents a vital opportunity to enhance biomedical research and tackle health issues in the area. The Caribbean’s unique genetic diversity, shaped by migration and environmental factors, underscores a well-managed biobank’s potential impact on global health, especially for underrepresented groups. This paper examines biobanking’s potential in the Caribbean, focusing on precision medicine, public health improvements and regional scientific self-sufficiency.