The activities were organized by SENEPA and Fundación Mundo Sano, and included panels with representatives from PAHO Paraguay, PRONASIDA, and the LAPIS Association. During the meetings, experiences and strategies aimed at advancing the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of Chagas and strengthening comprehensive care for affected individuals were shared.
Within the framework of the Ibero-American Initiative “No Baby with Chagas,” promoted by the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB), two training sessions were held in Asunción for health teams. The purpose was to provide practical tools for the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of congenital Chagas cases, within the framework of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)’s ETMI Plus strategy. This strategy expands the initial goal of eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis, also incorporating hepatitis B and Chagas in endemic countries, and promotes the integration of maternal and child health services under an inclusive, equitable, and multicultural approach.
The meetings were attended by regional primary care leaders, healthcare personnel, administrative teams, promoters, and community agents, who committed to replicating the content in their territories, thereby strengthening local capacities and ensuring the dissemination of knowledge.
Furthermore, the conferences placed special emphasis on incorporating a gender perspective, cultural diversity, and intersectionality into healthcare. Using the Guide to Strategies for Equitable Health Care, developed within the framework of the Initiative, dynamics and tools were employed to identify stereotypes, structural barriers, and inequalities that limit access to timely diagnoses and treatments.
These workshops contribute to the goal of eliminating mother-to-child transmission of this disease and advancing towards more inclusive, equitable, and culturally relevant health systems in the region.
More news of interest
