The Environmental Health Surveillance Program for the Amazon Region (EHSP) was a strategy that was born out of cooperation among Amazonian countries and had financial support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) seeking to strengthen environmental health surveillance systems in the Amazon on priority health issues such as the quality of water for human consumption, waste management, health hazards from chemical substances, vector-borne diseases and disasters.

Objective

The work of the PVSA aimed to develop coordinated national and international initiatives among the Member Countries to improve the health of the Amazonian populations. It focused on the task of sharing information from the countries’ surveillance systems along with the development of a “toolbox” with different instruments and working documents produced by the countries for reference and consultation to improve their own health monitoring systems and indicators.

Results

Among its main results, 4 pilot border work points for environmental health surveillance were established: Iñapari (Peru) with Assis (Brazil), Cobija (Bolivia) with Epitaciolandia and Brasileia (Brazil), Guajaramerín (Bolivia) with Guajara– Mirim (Brazil) and Leticia (Colombia) with Tabatinga (Brazil).

Additionally, the adaptation guide for Climate Change and Climate Variability from the health perspective was prepared and several projects were developed for the specific implementation of activities in: Neglected Tropical Diseases, Mercury contamination, Disasters and health surveillance indicators for the Amazon.

 Strategic Partners

Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)