P

Pan American Health Organization

Public health agency providing technical cooperation

Foot-and-Mouth Disease Specialist Consultant - Regional Preparedness and Epidemiology

Full-TimeDeadline 10/28/26
$70k
Expert
Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
In PersonNational and international travel is required for technical cooperation activities.
Academic & Institutional ResearchMedical Research

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in veterinary medicine and a master's degree in veterinary science or public health.
  • Nine years of progressively responsible professional experience in an Official Veterinary Service.
  • Demonstrated experience in Foot-and-Mouth Disease prevention, surveillance, or eradication programs.
  • Demonstrated experience in veterinary epidemiology, surveillance, and risk assessment.
  • Demonstrated experience in epidemiological modelling.
  • Experience in preparedness and response to transboundary animal diseases.
  • Experience preparing technical reports, scientific publications, and technical guidance documents.
  • Excellent knowledge of English or Spanish, with working knowledge of the other language.
Responsibilities
  • Provide technical support for qualitative and quantitative risk assessments related to Foot-and-Mouth Disease.
  • Develop and apply epidemiological and spatial models supporting surveillance, preparedness, and emergency response.
  • Support Member States in strengthening risk-based surveillance and epidemiological intelligence.
  • Contribute to contingency planning, emergency preparedness, simulation exercises, and emergency response strategies.
  • Provide technical support for emergency vaccination preparedness, including vaccination strategies, vaccine deployment scenarios, and post-vaccination monitoring.
  • Provide specialized technical support to the Regional Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccine Antigen Bank, including technical analyses, strategic planning, technical documentation, and support to governance activities.
  • Prepare technical documents, scientific reports, policy briefs, meeting reports, and presentations supporting BANVACO, COSALFA, COHEFA, and PHEFA.
  • Design and deliver regional and national training activities in epidemiology, surveillance, risk assessment, emergency preparedness, and emergency vaccination.
  • Participate in technical missions, regional meetings, and international cooperation activities.
  • Undertake national and international travel for technical cooperation activities, including country missions, regional workshops, technical consultations, simulation exercises, and official meetings related to the PHEFA Action Plan.
Desired Qualifications
  • A PhD in preventive veterinary medicine.
  • Experience working with international organizations.
  • Experience providing technical cooperation to Member States.
  • Experience coordinating regional programmes.
  • Working knowledge of Portuguese.

About the company

P

Pan American Health Organization

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PAHO (Pan American Health Organization) provides technical cooperation and mobilizes partnerships to improve health and quality of life in the Americas. It is the regional office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the specialized health agency of the Inter-American System, working with the UN system. Its work involves technical assistance, public health program support, disease prevention, health promotion, and health system strengthening in member countries. Unlike many global health groups that operate by country or region only, PAHO combines regional leadership with a formal affiliation to WHO and the UN system, making it a trusted source for coordinating health initiatives across the Americas. The organization's goal is to improve health outcomes and quality of life across its member states by supporting health systems, guiding policy, and promoting evidence-based public health actions.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

null

Founded

1902

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What believers are saying

  • September 23, 2026: Roche and PAHO expanded HPV DNA screening across Latin America.
  • July 27, 2026: PAHO and AHF launched early HIV diagnosis expansion across the region.
  • July 31, 2026: Trinidad and Tobago adopted PAHO-backed elimination roadmap, validating the strategy.

What critics are saying

  • June 15, 2026: PAHO still faced a US$138 million core-program gap.
  • PAHO cut 220 positions in 2026, straining country support and execution capacity.
  • If assessed contributions keep lagging, PAHO's revolving-fund model weakens and technical leadership erodes.

What makes Pan American Health Organization unique

  • PAHO's 1902 mandate gives it unmatched regional legitimacy across the Americas.
  • Its Regional Revolving Funds centralize procurement, speeding access to vaccines, diagnostics, and medicines.
  • As WHO's Americas office, PAHO combines technical cooperation with intergovernmental reach.

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Benefits

  • Remote Work Options

Company News

Pan American Health Organization
Sep 30th, 2026
PAHO and Canada's Bruyère Health Research Institute strengthen partnership to advance disease elimination in the Americas

PAHO and Canada's Bruyère Health Research Institute strengthen partnership to advance disease elimination in the Americas

Agencia EFE
Sep 23rd, 2026
Roche Diagnostics, PAHO promote HPV screening to prevent cervical cancer.

Roche Diagnostics, PAHO promote HPV screening to prevent cervical cancer. * September 23, 2026 Roche Diagnostics and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) have signed an agreement to accelerate access to integrated DNA screening solutions for human papillomavirus (HPV) in Latin America and the Caribbean, a disease cited as the primary cause of cervical cancer. According to Roche, the agreement is designed to help countries strengthen HPV DNA screening programs and advance the goals of PAHO's Plan of Action for Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control 2018-2030, as well as the World Health Organization's (WHO) global strategy to eliminate the disease as a public health problem. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer. However, Latin America and the Caribbean record the second-highest incidence and mortality rates in the world after Africa, according to the "A Situational Analysis of Cervical Cancer in Latin America and the Caribbean" report published by PAHO and WHO. The report indicates that Latin America and the Caribbean register an age-adjusted incidence rate of 15.1 cases per 100,000 women, compared to the WHO elimination threshold set at four cases per 100,000 women. Screening allows for the identification of women at higher risk and the detection of precancerous lesions to treat them before they progress to invasive cancer. Roche Diagnostics for Latin America President Jordi Fernández Capo noted that by working with PAHO and healthcare ecosystem partners, they have "the opportunity to implement essential screening programs that identify more women at risk and connect them with appropriate follow-up and care, when necessary." Likewise, he maintained that "supporting stronger, more integrated screening systems equipped with high-performance molecular platforms can help more women access early, accurate detection and the care they need when it can make the greatest difference." WHO agreement details and projections. The agreement will be implemented through PAHO's Regional Revolving Funds, a cooperation mechanism to improve access to health innovations. Through this mechanism, Roche Diagnostics will help facilitate the supply of HPV DNA screening solutions and other related diagnostic innovations. According to the ESTAMPA study, led by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of WHO, alongside PAHO, HPV tests detect 98.1% of high-grade cervical lesions, compared to 48.5% detected by other methods such as Pap smears (cervical cytology). In this context, expanding access to these screening approaches requires robust and integrated diagnostic infrastructure, including high-throughput molecular platforms that support quality and continuity throughout the screening pathway. The progression from HPV infection to cervical cancer is typically slow and can take decades. In its early stages, HPV generally causes no symptoms, leaving many women unaware they carry the infection until signs appear and cancer may have already begun to develop. In response, Roche Diagnostics will contribute its diagnostic expertise and network of local and international collaborators to strengthen screening pathways and advance the elimination of this cancer in Latin America and the Caribbean. The WHO Global Strategy for Cervical Cancer Elimination establishes the 90-70-90 targets for 2030: Vaccinate 90% of girls against HPV by age 15; Screen 70% of women with a high-performance test by age 35 and again by age 45; Treat 90% of women identified with precancerous lesions and 90% of those with invasive cancer. According to WHO estimates, achieving the 90-70-90 targets in low- and lower-middle-income countries would cumulatively prevent approximately 300,000 cervical cancer deaths by 2030, over 14 million by 2070, and more than 62 million by 2120. EFE

Peq42
Sep 17th, 2026
Brazil advances homegrown mRNA vaccine technology.

Brazil advances homegrown mRNA vaccine technology. Brazil is positioning itself at the forefront of cutting-edge vaccine science in Latin America, as the Ministry of Health channels R$ 210 million (approximately US$ 40 million) into the development of messenger RNA (mRNA) platforms across three major national research centers. The initiative, announced this week, will culminate in the first fully Brazilian-developed mRNA vaccine entering clinical trials in early 2027. The investment targets a trio of institutions with proven scientific capacity: Fiocruz, Instituto Butantan, and the UFMG Vaccine Competence Center (CTV-RNA). Through the federal government's Novo PAC Saúde infrastructure program, R$ 77 million was allocated to Fiocruz's mRNA platform, R$ 73 million to Butantan, and R$ 60 million to UFMG. The funds are directed toward research infrastructure, pilot production plants, strategic product development, and clinical studies aligned with the needs of Brazil's public health system (SUS). Building a national platform, not just a single vaccine. Beyond the immediate goal of producing a COVID-19 vaccine, the strategy is designed to establish a durable technological infrastructure that can pivot rapidly to address multiple health threats. mRNA technology works as a flexible platform: by altering the genetic instructions delivered to human cells, the same basic manufacturing process can be adapted to target different pathogens or diseases. "This is about more than one vaccine," said Mario Moreira, president of Fiocruz. "The consolidation of this platform expands Brazil's capacity to respond to health emergencies, reduces dependence on foreign technologies, and creates a foundation for developing new products aimed at the diverse challenges of the Unified Health System." The approach aligns with the Ministry's National Program of Radical Innovation, which organizes a portfolio of strategic projects and strengthens collaboration among government, academia, industry, and international partners. The program aims to convert scientific knowledge into concrete solutions - vaccines, medicines, diagnostics, and therapies - that directly address SUS priorities. Fiocruz to launch first clinical trial in Q1 2027. The most advanced project is a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine developed by Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz, which has received authorization from the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) to begin Phase 1 clinical trials. The study will evaluate the vaccine as a booster dose, in line with the current strategy of Brazil's National Immunization Program (PNI). Recruitment of volunteers is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2027. In this initial phase, researchers will focus on safety and immunogenicity, with participants followed for one year. The vaccine candidate successfully completed preclinical studies demonstrating protection against disease, along with toxicological assessments and scale-up trials. The product is manufactured at Bio-Manguinhos' pilot plant - the first mRNA facility in Latin America certified under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) - a milestone that positions Brazil as a potential regional hub for advanced vaccine production. Diversified pipeline across three centers. While Fiocruz's COVID-19 candidate is the first to reach clinical testing, the broader mRNA ecosystem in Brazil is already branching into multiple diseases: * UFMG's CTV-RNA is developing mRNA vaccine candidates against dengue, malaria, Chagas disease, visceral leishmaniasis, and influenza. The center is also exploring therapeutic applications, including siRNA-based immunotherapy for cancer, cancer vaccines using tumor antigens, and an RNA-based methodology for CAR-T cell therapy. * Instituto Butantan is using its allocation to establish a dedicated unit for the development and production of mRNA vaccines, initially targeting COVID-19 and rabies. The project is part of a broader international cooperation strategy involving the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), with the ambition of transforming Brazil's mRNA platform into a global health asset. "We are appropriating the technology," Says Health Minister. Brazil's commitment to mRNA contrasts with recent moves in some countries that have scaled back or discontinued investments in the technology. Health Minister Alexandre Padilha emphasized the strategic importance of maintaining three national platforms: "While some countries have cut their mRNA investments, tore up contracts, and halted research, Brazil has three platforms, is advancing, and preparing itself more and more for vaccine development. We are very proud that Brazil will take ownership of this technological platform." The government's bet on mRNA is framed as a cornerstone of the Economic-Industrial Health Complex (CEIS), a policy framework designed to reduce Brazil's reliance on imported technologies and strengthen domestic production capacity. By building end-to-end expertise - from basic research to clinical trials and GMP manufacturing - Brazil aims to be ready for future pandemics and to address neglected tropical diseases that disproportionately affect Latin America. With the first clinical trial on the horizon and a diversified pipeline taking shape, the country's mRNA initiative signals a new chapter in Brazil's long tradition of public health innovation. Support this blog

Yahoo Finance
Sep 15th, 2026
Gilead partners with PAHO to expand twice-yearly lenacapavir HIV prevention access across Latin America

Gilead Sciences has partnered with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to expand access to twice-yearly lenacapavir for HIV prevention across Latin America and the Caribbean. The agreement uses PAHO's Regional Revolving Funds to create a coordinated pathway for country-led adoption of the long-acting HIV prevention treatment. The partnership addresses a critical need in the region, where new HIV infections increased by 13% between 2010 and 2024. The agreement provides access for 14 countries outside Gilead's existing voluntary licensing agreements, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. The collaboration combines PAHO's regional coordination and procurement capabilities with Gilead's access strategy to enable sustainable scale-up of HIV prevention efforts.

BioPharma Watch
Sep 15th, 2026
Frequently asked questions.

Frequently asked questions. What is lenacapavir used for? Lenacapavir is used for HIV prevention as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Who is partnering with Gilead for this initiative? Gilead is partnering with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). What regions will benefit from this partnership? The partnership aims to benefit all PAHO Member States in Latin America and the Caribbean. How will access to lenacapavir be expanded? Access will be expanded through PAHO's Regional Revolving Funds.