Validation of digital devices for measuring blood pressure in Peru: a call to regulatory action
This letter is only available in Spanish.
The private market for antimicrobials: an exploration of two selected mining and frontier areas of Guyana
Objective
To identify challenges that may raise pathogens’ resistance to antimicrobial drugs by exploring the private market for antimicrobials in two selected mining and frontier areas of Guyana.
Reach and effectiveness of a HEARTS hypertension pilot project in Guatemala
The World Health Organization Global Hearts initiative (HEARTS) and technical package aim to improve the primary health care management of hypertension and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease at the population level. This study describes the first HEARTS implementation pilot project in Guatemala’s Ministry of Health (MOH) primary health care system. This pilot began in April 2022 in six primary health care facilities in three rural indigenous municipalities. The project consisted of HEARTS-aligned strategies adapted to enhance program sustainability in Guatemala.
Evidence map of chikungunya treatments
Objective
Based on a review of the literature, to create a map of the available evidence on the treatment methods for chikungunya.
Intentional search and reclassification of maternal deaths: quality information and its analysis to reduce maternal mortality
Objective
To describe the methodology of the intentional search and reclassification of maternal deaths (BIRMM, acronym in Spanish), which allows the identification and correction of misclassification and underreporting of maternal deaths.
Rapid review: effectiveness of the Wolbachia strategy for arbovirus control
Objective
To identify and synthesize evidence of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Wolbachia- Aedes methodology for reducing cases of arboviral infection.
Misinformation, disinformation, and fake news amid the new global Mpox emergency
[Extract]
The identification of a new strain of the Mpox virus (clade Ib) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the alarming rise in cases across Africa linked to sexual activity, and the potential for a new pandemic led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on August 14, 2024 (https://www.paho.org/en/mpox).
Vision impairment and blindness in individuals aged 60 years and older in Latin America and the Caribbean
Objective
To determine the prevalence and causes of vision loss and calculate the effective cataract surgery coverage (eCSC) in adults aged 60 years and older in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2020.
Methods
The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness Vision Atlas and the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness databases were used as data source. The collected data were used to estimate the prevalence and causes of vision loss in people aged 60 years and older, and to determine the eCSC.
The fight against smoking in Paraguay: assessing progress towards a tobacco-free future
This letter to the editor is only available in Spanish.
State of HIV costing in Latin America and the Caribbean: a systematic literature review
Objectives
To summarize available data on unit costs for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, prevention, and care interventions in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Methods
We conducted a systematic literature review of costing studies published between 2012 and 2024, and selected those reporting empirically measured costing data. The available data were categorized according to predefined intervention categories and compared by time and place. We also explored variations in unit costs by intervention type.
