Eighth Meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission of the Initiative of Central American Countries to Interrupt Vectoral and Transfusional Transmission of Chagas Disease (IPCA)

(Tegucigalpa, Honduras, 7–9 December 2005)

Final Report (in Spanish, 43 pp, PDF, 167 Kb; chapter headings translated below for user orientation)
I. Executive Summary
II. Introduction
III. Reports from the Countries
IV. International Evaluations
V. Special Presentations
VI. Agreements and Recommendations
VII. Annexes
1. Agreement, XXI RESSCAD-BLZ-05
2. Agenda from Welcoming Ceremony
3. Meeting Agenda
4. List of Participants

- About IPCA
- Activities to Fight Chagas Disease in Honduras

Otras Iniciativas subregionales
- INCOSUR (Cono Sur)
- AMCHA (Amazonas)
- IPA (Andina)

- PAHO Chagas Page
- PAHO Communicable Disease Research Program (PAHO/CDR)
- Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Disease (WHO/TDR)

Participating Institutions
- Secretariat of Health of Honduras
- Pan American Health Organization, Honduras (PAHO-Honduras)
- Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA): JICA Activities in Central America & the Caribbean
- Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA/ACDI)

Executive Summary

In 1997, the XIII^th Meeting of the Health Sector of Central America (RESSCA), held in Belize City, adopted Resolution No. 13, which establishes that "control of Chagas disease is a priority activity for the Central American countries." It calls for the implementation of a multinational program to bring about the interruption of vector-borne and transfusional transmission of Chagas disease. This program now exists as the Initiative of Central American Countries to Interrupt Vectoral and Transfusional Transmission of Chagas Disease (IPCA), having been launched in October 1997 in the city of Tegucigalpa. It in turn created an Intergovernmental Technical Commission, with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) acting as Technical Secretariat.

This Commission has the following objectives:

• Monitor and evaluate the activities programmed by the countries.
• Obtain support from international cooperation, while involving non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the process.
• Promote the exchange of knowledge and experience in order to strengthen prevention and control interventions.

Since its creation, IPCA has held 12 meetings: 1 pre-IPCA, 8 annual and 3 thematic (note: all reports below are in Spanish except for the reports and/or resolutions of the World Health Assembly/WHA):

• Pre-IPCA meeting, Tegucigalpa, 1997
• 51^st World Health Assembly, 1998: resolution
• 1^st Annual Meeting, Guatemala City, 1998
• 2^nd Annual Meeting, Managua, 1999
• 3^rd Annual Meeting, San Salvador, 2000
• 4^th Annual Meeting, Panama City, 2001
• 5^th Annual Meeting, San José, 2002
• Thematic Meeting on Rhodnius pallescens, Panama City, 2002
• Thematic Meeting on Triatoma dimidiata,
  San Salvador, 2002
• Thematic Meeting on
  R. prolixus, Guatemala City, 2003
• 6^th Annual Meeting, Tegucigalpa, 10/2003
• 7^th Annual Meeting, Tegucigalpa, 2004
• 8^th Annual Meeting, Tegucigalpa, 12/2005

Over the past eight years, the countries of Central America—through their own efforts and with support from international cooperation—have made considerable progress in controlling vector-borne and transfusional transmission, as is shown by the reports from the countries and by the international evaluations carried out with the National Programs.

The VII^th Meeting of the Intergovernmental Technical Commission recognized the need to incorporate the component of etiological treatment of recent infection in the population under 15 of age where interventions are underway to interrupt vector-borne transmission. This can be seen as an additional objective of IPCA, in view of the progress made in controlling vector-borne transmission and of their achievement of bringing transfusional transmission under control in all the countries of the Central American subregion.

This VIII^th Meeting of the Intergovernmental Technical Commission reiterated the need to actively maintain the process of international evaluations and specific technical meetings, for the countries to prepare Strategic Plans facilitating international cooperation to support the National Programs, and comprehensive care of populations of endemic areas.

The meeting, held at the Clarion Hotel, was inaugurated by Dr. Fanny Mejía, Vice Minister of Health, Honduras, accompanied by Dr. Luis Medina, Director General of Health; Dr. José Fiusa Lima, Representative of the Pan American Health Organization in Honduras (PAHO-Honduras); Mr. Tatsuo Suzuki, Director of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Honduras; and Eng. Manuel Hernández, who represented the Director of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA/ACDI) in Honduras.

The delegates from the countries selected Dr. Concepción Zuniga and Dr. Carlos Ponce of Honduras, as president and rapporteur, respectively.

During the inaugural session of the VIII^th Meeing of the IPCA Intergovernmental Commision, the Honduran health authorities devoted special time to Dr. Delmin Cury, who has served as Consultant for Communicable Diseases in the PAHO/WHO Representative Office in Honduras over the past five years, for his notable work in Honduras and by the support he has given to the Initiative of Central American Countries to Interrupt Vectoral and Transfusional Transmission of Chagas Disease (IPCA), where he has served as Technical Secretary. A plaque of recognition was given to him by Dr. Luis Medina, Director General of Health.