Experts meet to discuss advances in wastewater and environmental monitoring in Latin America and the Caribbean (PAHO).
Promoting wastewater and environmental monitoring as essential tools for public health preparedness and response was the focus of the GLOWACON Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean, which concluded in Panama City.
The two-day conference, co-organised by the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), brought together more than 70 face-to-face participants and over 130 virtual participants from across the Americas and beyond, including public health officials, researchers, environmental scientists, funders and international partners.
Building on the momentum of previous GLOWACON meetings, this regional conference focused on the use of wastewater and environmental surveillance (WES) to support the implementation of epidemic intelligence, strengthen early warning systems, and integrate WES into broader public health efforts in the Americas. This work aligns with PAHO’s Strategy on Epidemic Intelligence to Strengthen Early Warning for Health Emergencies (2024-2029), which aims to improve early detection of outbreaks, diseases with pandemic potential, and other health emergencies. It also supports PAHO’s Regional Genomic Surveillance Strategy (2022-2028), which promotes the use of genomic data and fosters coordination between the public, animal and environmental health sectors.
In his opening remarks, Dr Jarbas Barbosa, Director of PAHO, highlighted the transformative potential of sanitation surveillance: “Sanitation surveillance is not just about detecting pathogens; it is about building integrated systems, expanding public health knowledge, and ensuring that no one is left behind. Latin America and the Caribbean have shown remarkable leadership and innovation in applying these tools to real challenges.”
Representing the European Commission, Laurent Muschel, Deputy Director of HERA, underlined the importance of international cooperation: “Cooperation between Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean is more important than ever. Together, through initiatives such as GLOWACON, we are building a global sentinel system that will strengthen our ability to detect health threats early, act quickly and save lives. Sanitation surveillance must become a fundamental part of our epidemic preparedness, but also a response tool.”
Participants addressed a wide range of issues, including the integration of genomic surveillance into wastewater systems, innovative technologies for wastewater analysis, data interpretation and sharing mechanisms, regulatory frameworks, and the importance of community and cross-sector involvement. Discussions also focused on how to operationalise wastewater data in public health decision-making and how to scale up successful models already implemented in the region.
There were calls for increased investment by governments, regional bodies and the international community to expand laboratory capacity, harmonise methodologies and integrate wastewater data into national and regional epidemic intelligence networks. The importance of sustainable funding, multi-sectoral collaboration and capacity building were repeatedly highlighted as key elements for future success.
About GLOWACON
The Global Consortium for Wastewater and Environmental Monitoring for Public Health (GLOWACON) provides a platform to foster cross-sectoral collaboration, innovation and capacity building. It aims to promote the integration of wastewater and environmental monitoring into early warning systems for public health decision-making and pandemic preparedness.
