WASHINGTON, United States (CMC) — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) says it has signed a technical cooperation agreement with the Madrid-based Mundo Sano Foundation to strengthen efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of diseases and advance cervical cancer prevention in the Americas, including the Caribbean.

The agreement was signed by PAHO’s Director Jarbas Barbosa and Silvia Gold, president of Mundo Sano at the foundation’s headquarters.

“This partnership reflects a conviction that we deeply share; that the most complex public health challenges can only be addressed through long-term vision and a people-centred approach,” said Dr Barbosa.

PAHO said that the collaboration will focus on generating and exchanging technical knowledge related to integrated health service approaches that contribute to accelerating the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B, and Chagas disease through PAHO’s EMTCT Plus+ initiative.

It said the agreement also establishes a framework to progressively explore opportunities to strengthen cervical cancer prevention efforts in the region.

Under the agreement, Fundación Mundo Sano will contribute technical know-how related to mother-to-child transmission and will also support the integration of cervical cancer prevention actions into relevant health interventions. PAHO will facilitate technical exchange spaces, share regional and global technical guidance, and support the analysis and dissemination of lessons learned.

“We hope this first phase of work will be the beginning of an even broader collaboration capable of generating evidence, inspiring new solutions and contributing to our shared goal of building a healthier and more equitable Americas for all,” the PAHO director said.

EMTCT Plus+ is a regional initiative led by PAHO that seeks to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B, and Chagas disease, while strengthening maternal and child health services across the Americas. The initiative promotes integrated, people-centred approaches to improve access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care services.

Cervical cancer remains a major public health challenge in the Americas. Regional efforts focus on expanding access to HPV vaccination, screening, early detection, and timely treatment as part of the broader goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem.