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PIVOT - Preventing Infections through Vigilance at the Origin of Transmission in Latin America and the Caribbean


Background

The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) was awarded US$39.93 million from the Pandemic Fund to strengthen Latin America’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to zoonotic diseases through the PIVOT project. The grant mobilized US$336.4 million in co-financing from international partners, as well as US$2.1 million in co-investment provided by the IICA. This regional entity project also convened a range of scientific and civil society partners, from the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz to the Wildlife Conservation Society, among others. 

The Latin American and Caribbean region is rich with biodiversity and a major producer of poultry, cattle, and swine. The proximity of wildlife, livestock, and people creates frequent opportunities for pathogen transmission, however. This risk is particularly high in areas with limited human and veterinary health services, where subsistence and backyard farming are also common. Across the region, other repeat themes include the wide spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, as well as underfunded and fragmented public health systems. Different parts of the region present different extenuating factors, however. The Amazon Basin, for example, is a hotspot for zoonotic spillover due to close interactions among people and wildlife, whereas the Caribbean, reliant on tourism and smallholder farming, is vulnerable to shocks from respiratory and vector-borne outbreaks. 

In response to the region’s complexity, PIVOT emphasizes cross-border and cross-sectoral cooperation. It is led by the IICA, in partnership with three implementing entities: the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the World Bank.  
 

Project objectives

With the support of the Pandemic Fund and PIVOT partners, the IICA aims to reduce spillover risks, enhance multisectoral collaboration, and promote sustainable mechanisms to safeguard health, livelihoods, and economies. 
 

Implementation arrangements and key components

PIVOT encompasses the Pandemic Fund’s three priorities – surveillance, laboratory systems, and workforce development – as well as strong governance and sustainable financing. Detail on all project components follows.   

  1. Strengthening risk assessment and early detection. PIVOT plans to expand risk assessment tools to strengthen cross-sectoral analysis of zoonotic threats. Activities include implementing joint gap analyses, prediction platforms, and interoperable data repositories. 
  1. Harmonizing surveillance and laboratory systems. This work seeks to fill stubborn gaps in surveillance and diagnostics, including through harmonized protocols, genomic sequencing networks, and interoperable platforms. 
  1. Reinforcing preparedness and response. This part of the project focuses on developing harmonized preparedness checklists, modular outbreak guidelines, and simulation exercises. It also calls for strengthening the Intersectoral Commission for the Prevention and Control of Zoonotic Influenza in the Americas to coordinate and mentor national teams.  
  1. Enhancing prevention and biosecurity. Work in this area emphasizes investing in biosecurity for small producers and rural communities, as well as developing risk communication and vaccination strategies.  
  1. Improving multisectoral governance and coordination. Activities here focus on systematizing governance models, developing repositories of legal instruments, and supporting national adaptation to institutionalize One Health mechanisms. 
  1. Increasing sustainable financing for PPR. Financing activities include developing costing tools, compensation schemes, and cost–benefit analyses to drive efficiency and predictability. 

The FAO will support PIVOT by facilitating cross-sector collaboration and boosting preparedness, drawing on its experience strengthening early warning and zoonotic disease surveillance across Latin America and the Caribbean. The IDB brings its expertise in mobilizing resources, fostering innovation, and engaging both public and private sector entities to boost health and economic resilience. The World Bank brings its financial and governance expertise. It will help coordinate across the human, animal, and environmental health sectors and ensure that pandemic risk reduction is integrated into broader development strategies. 
 

Expected outcomes

When PIVOT is fully implemented, the IICA expects that it will enable the region to: 

  • Harmonize surveillance and laboratory systems 
  • Operationalize One Health governance frameworks 
  • Expand financing for preparedness, and thereby 
  • Reduce the risk of zoonotic spillover and pandemic threats. 

 

Note: This project description is based on the project proposal and information available as of February 2026. 

For general inquiries: the_pandemic_fund@worldbank.org

  • Region
    Region
    Latin America & Caribbean
  • Location
    Countries
    Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Barbados Belize Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Costa Rica Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Suriname Trinidad and Tobago Uruguay Venezuela, RB
  • Building
    Regional Entity
  • Funding
    Amount Approved (US$) $39,929,426.91
  • Funding
    Total Co-financing
    (in kind & in cash) (US$)     $336,364,994.61
  • Funding
    Total Co-investment
    (in kind & in cash) (US$)     $2,093,610.75

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