The Pandemic Fund

Infectious diseases know no borders. Across Latin America and the Caribbean, health systems face growing pressures – from migration and tourism to shortages of frontline workers. Rising temperatures and natural disasters are compounding these challenges, increasing the spread of waterborne and vector-borne diseases.

As the region becomes more interconnected, so does its vulnerability to cross-border outbreaks. The recent dengue outbreak—and earlier, Zika—have taken a heavy toll on lives and livelihoods. Experts now warn that there is a greater than 50 percent chance of another pandemic within the next 25 years. In response, countries across the region are stepping up efforts to strengthen pandemic preparedness.

The Pandemic Fund is supporting these efforts with about US$130 million in grants across nine projects, supporting 21 countries and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), which serves 26 member states. These grants have leveraged an additional US$394 million in co-financing and US$187 million in co-investment from international and domestic resources, respectively. By strengthening surveillance and early warning systems, laboratories, and the health workforce, these investments are helping the region better prepare for and respond to future health threats.
 

Building regional capacity, bolstering national health security

Tourism is vital to Caribbean economies but also increases the risk of infectious disease transmission. Combined with uneven public health capacity, these risks demand a coordinated regional approach. That is precisely the approach taken by CARPHA. With support from a US$16 million Pandemic Fund grant, CARPHA is working with Caribbean countries to enhance their pandemic defenses. This grant has leveraged US$8.5 million co-investment and about US$140,000 in co-financing.

The CARPHA project has already achieved an important victory.  Anticipating the arrival of 240,000 visitors and players from 17 countries last summer for the men’s cricket World Cup, the project created an innovative Mass Gathering Surveillance System (MGSS) for six Caribbean countries. When the platform detected thresholds for respiratory and gastroenteritis syndromes, officials responded within 24 hours to prevent an outbreak.

 Dr. Lisa Indar speaking about the Pandemic Fund’s support to CARPHA at the World Health Summit in Berlin

As of October 2025, over 150 activities have been successfully completed through the project. Among them, a regional One Health platform has been created, integrating human, animal, and environmental data. Most recently, CARPHA hosted a four-day Regional Multisectoral Workshop on Strengthening Emergency and Response and Integrated Early Warning Systems. These efforts are critical to preventing local emergencies from escalating into regional and global health crises.
 

Investing in a One Health approach 

Preventing the next pandemic requires a One Health approach that addresses the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. The Pandemic Fund is helping countries put this approach into action through almost all of its projects.  

In Latin America and the Caribbean, for example, the Fund’s US$15.6 million grant to Guyana is supporting the adoption of a One Health approach. The project will modernize the country’s disease surveillance systems, enhance monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and upgrade laboratories across sectors, including national, regional, and veterinary labs. It also includes training of the One Health workforce and improving cross-sector coordination. This project also brings together the Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Finance, Legal Affairs, Natural Resources, and Tourism.

 Health Minister H. E. Frank Anthony and Finance Minister H.E. Ashni Singh speaking at the Guyana project launch event
 

In Paraguay, encouraging results are already emerging. With support from the Pandemic Fund and partners, the country is strengthening the integration of information management systems across human, animal, and environmental health laboratories at all levels. It has upgraded digital infrastructure and improved connectivity at points of entry. Paraguay has also updated its National AMR Plan and developed a joint AMR monitoring plan with cross-sector data-sharing protocols. Additionally, it has initiated a phased plan to digitally integrate existing platforms, laying the groundwork for stronger health technology systems and robust data to support AI-related use cases.
 

Engaging communities to protect underserved populations

Empowering community members and health workers is essential to counter risky behaviors and improve outbreak detection and response. In the Amazon Basin, rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and deforestation present unique health risks to rural residents. 

The Pandemic Fund is helping countries tackle these challenges with a US$16.9 million grant supporting the Pandemic Response Optimization Through Engaged Communities and Territories (PROTECT) project, implemented across seven countries in partnership with the World Bank and PAHO.

Across Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Uruguay, the project is strengthening community-based surveillance for emerging infectious diseases and improving access to primary health care services for more than 350 Indigenous ethnic groups and riverine populations. In Brazil, innovation laboratories have been launched for health surveillance in priority hot spots in remote and underserved areas of the country. In Colombia, the project has achieved near-national coverage in risk communication training for key community groups, which were later successfully mobilized during yellow fever outbreaks and in implementing epizootic surveillance strategies. More than 200 participants have been trained across 23 municipalities, supported by 141 trainers and 78 community watchers and managers.

These efforts across Latin American and the Caribbean form part of the Fund’s global portfolio of nearly US$7 billion, spanning 75 countries across six regions. This support is strengthening not only preparedness for the next health crisis, but also reinforcing the underlying systems that safeguard lives and livelihoods every day. By bringing catalytic financing and a collaborative, multisectoral approach, the Fund is proud to help communities, countries, and regions strengthen health security and collective resilience for generations to come.