The Dengue Epidemic: A New Test of Latin America’s Health Sector
This event was originally scheduled for May 21, 2024. Please note it will take place on May 30, 2024.
Overview
Since the beginning of the year, dengue, a mosquito-borne disease, has spread rapidly in South America, once again testing the resilience of the region’s public health systems. The Pan American Health Organization has issued a warning for the Americas, where more than 8.1 million dengue cases were reported through May, more than three times the number in the same period last year. The disease has killed at least 3,600 individuals. Worryingly, experts warn that significant dengue outbreaks could be the norm going forward, as climate change leads to longer and warmer rainy seasons, ideal conditions for mosquitos.
In Argentina, Brazil, and elsewhere, dengue is straining public health resources and leading to questions about the region’s preparedness, including the capacity to access and distribute vaccines and to communicate disease prevention guidance. This follows the devastating impacts in the region of COVID-19 that revealed a range of vulnerabilities and highlighted inadequate spending on public health.
Please join the Wilson Center’s Latin America Program on May 30, 2024, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am ET, for a conversation on the dengue outbreak and the regional response, the state of vaccine research, production, and distribution in Latin America, and whether Latin American governments have applied the lessons from the pandemic.
Panelists
Sylvain Aldighieri
Adriana Alfonso
Esper Georges Kallás
Hosted By
Latin America Program
The Wilson Center’s prestigious Latin America Program provides non-partisan expertise to a broad community of decision makers in the United States and Latin America on critical policy issues facing the Hemisphere. The Program provides insightful and actionable research for policymakers, private sector leaders, journalists, and public intellectuals in the United States and Latin America. To bridge the gap between scholarship and policy action, it fosters new inquiry, sponsors high-level public and private meetings among multiple stakeholders, and explores policy options to improve outcomes for citizens throughout the Americas. Drawing on the Wilson Center’s strength as the nation’s key non-partisan policy forum, the Program serves as a trusted source of analysis and a vital point of contact between the worlds of scholarship and action. Read more
Brazil Institute
The Brazil Institute—the only country-specific policy institution focused on Brazil in Washington—aims to deepen understanding of Brazil’s complex landscape and strengthen relations between Brazilian and U.S. institutions across all sectors. Our mission is to provide thoughtful leadership and innovative ideas to help democracies evolve and enhance their capacity to deliver results. We achieve this by producing independent research and programs that bridge the gap between scholarship and policy, while serving as a hub for policymakers, scholars, and private sector leaders. Read more
Thank you for your interest in this event. Please send any feedback or questions to our Events staff.
