Laying the Groundwork for an Early Warning System Along South America’s Bioceanic Corridors

Asunción, October 23, 2025 (PAHO) - Authorities and technical teams from six countries are gathered in Asunción, Paraguay, to strengthen collaboration toward the creation of an integrated early warning system along the bioceanic corridors of South America. The meeting, organized by the Organización Panamericana de la Salud (PAHO), is part of the PROTECT project (Pandemic Response Optimization through Engaged Communities and Territories), with financial support from the Fondo para Pandemias (Pandemic Fund).

During the meeting, national and local authorities from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru will map their epidemic intelligence capacities and analyze joint efforts to detect, verify, assess, and respond promptly to health threats affecting populations along these corridors. The exchange takes place in the context of two major initiatives in South America that link these six countries and drive rapid ecological, social, and commercial changes: the Corredor Bioceánico de Capricornio (Capricorn Bioceanic Corridor) and the Corredor Ferroviario Central (Central Railway Corridor).

The countries will share progress, experiences, and lessons learned in strengthening their national surveillance systems, as well as mechanisms for information exchange and cross-border technical cooperation. The aim is to establish a coordinated early warning system capable of identifying unusual patterns or signals that could indicate emerging public health risks.

"Through PROTECT and PAHO's efforts, we are building bridges for technical and political collaboration, sharing information, jointly assessing risks, and responding in a coordinated way to potential emergencies. This meeting represents an opportunity to identify lessons learned and strengthen mechanisms for the early exchange of signals among the countries along the Capricorn and Central Railway corridors," said Dr. Haydeé Padilla, Acting PAHO/WHO Representative in Paraguay, during the opening of the event.

This meeting in Paraguay, supported as well by the Schmidt Initiative for Long COVID (SILC), is part of the implementation of the Organización Panamericana de la Salud Regional Epidemic Intelligence Strategy 2024-2029. This strategy, approved by PAHO Member States, aims to strengthen and sustain national epidemic intelligence capacities through a One Health approach.

This collaborative effort marks an important first step toward laying the groundwork for a coordinated early warning system among these six countries, drawing on the experience gained through activities implemented under the PROTECT project, financed by the Pandemic Fund.

By participating in this meeting, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru reaffirm their commitment to advancing opportunities for collaboration and coordination to consolidate a regional architecture for collaborative surveillance and early warning systems along South America's bioceanic corridors.

About the PROTECT Project

PROTECT (Pandemic Response Optimization Through Engaged Communities and Territories) aims to enhance the capacity, preparedness, and engagement of participating countries for early detection and response to future pandemics through intersectoral and multilevel coordination and cooperation among stakeholders in the Amazon Basin.

The project is a collaboration among the Ministries of Health and Agriculture of seven countries, the Organización Panamericana de la Salud (PAHO) and the Banco Mundial (World Bank) as implementing entities, and the Centro Panamericano de Fiebre Aftosa y Salud Pública Veterinaria (PANAFTOSA/SPV) of PAHO.