Strengthening pandemic preparedness and response in Paraguay

The project aims to strengthen critical PPR functions to address gaps identified in the 2022 State Party Self-Assessment Annual Report (SPAR) and to reduce the health, social and economic impacts of future pandemics. The gaps relate to early warning, surveillance systems, and preparedness to respond to health emergencies, as reflected in Paraguay’s medium compliance rate of 62 percent across the 15 International Health Regulations (IHR) core capacities.

Implementation arrangements and key components

Led by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare (MSPBS), this project will coordinate closely with other government entities and technical bodies integral to the One Health approach. This includes numerous agencies in health (human, animal, and environmental), agriculture, customs, and civil society. 

Expected outcomes

Held accountable by the Project’s monitoring and evaluation framework, the expected outcomes include:

• Improved capacities for PPR for digital surveillance of public health emergencies of national and international concern at national, regional, and local levels. 
• Strengthened detection, diagnostic and integrated information management capacities of human, animal and environmental health laboratories at all levels. 
• Strengthened integrated surveillance of AMR that includes human, animal and environmental health.
• Intensified cross-border control measures in coordination with agencies to prevent and contain the spread of cross border disease outbreaks. 
• Strengthened community surveillance capacities of epidemic PPR with direct inclusion of indigenous communities and displaced populations.