Latin America at risk of “avalanche of health issues” due to Covid-19 – PAHO

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Delays in the immunization of children, lack of prenatal check-ups, poor follow-up of patients with chronic diseases: the disruptions caused by the new virus “are having a disproportionate impact on our first level of care,” PAHO director Carissa Etienne said at a press conference.

Ninety-seven percent of the American countries and territories surveyed recently reported disruptions in their services, while 45% reported interruptions in at least half of them, according to PAHO.

On the other hand, more than 300,000 children have missed routine immunization in 2020, mostly in Brazil and Mexico, Etienne said.

Coverage of the first dose of measles vaccine fell by 10% in 8 countries in the Americas, including Venezuela, Panama and Brazil, and declined by 20% in Suriname.

“If we do not reverse these trends, we risk an avalanche of worsening health issues in the Americas,” Etienne warned. “Soon, Covid-19 will not be the only health crisis demanding countries’ attention.”

As a result, the expert recommended alternatives in healthcare services, such as telemedicine and community outreach programs. And she emphasized that more than ever investing in the first level of care now is a “smart choice.”

“As the saying goes, ‘Prevention is better than cure,'” she pointed out.

“Devastating cost”

The Covid-19 pandemic declared in March 2020 continues to have “a devastating cost” in the Americas, Etienne said, reporting on the epidemiological situation in the region last week.

Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador and Paraguay are among the countries that reported the highest weekly mortality rates in the world, she said.

Furthermore, she noted that cases in the United States have more than doubled, particularly among unvaccinated people and said that in Mexico, the states of Baja California Sur, Quintana Roo and Yucatan reported a surge in new infections.

In Central America, infections have increased in Guatemala and remain high in Panama.

Cuba registered record numbers of infections and deaths, with all age groups affected. “More than 7,000 minors and almost 400 pregnant women tested positive for Covid-19 over the past week” on the Caribbean island, Etienne said.

In South America, Argentine provinces bordering Bolivia and Chile reported outbreaks, as did Colombia’s Amazon region.

Etienne said that although the pandemic is not abating and new variants are emerging, “too many countries have relaxed social and public health measures that have proven effective against this virus,” such as the use of masks and social distancing in public places.

“So far, only 16.6% of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19,” she recalled, noting that immunization coverage is higher only in countries such as the United States, Chile and Uruguay.

“This means that we can not relax public health measures at all,” she urged. “Please remember that no one will be safe until everyone is.”