Chagas disease control efforts in Latin America

Efforts to manage and control Chagas disease have seen significant developments in Chile and Colombia.

In Chile, the Ministry of Health approved a new national technical standard via Exempt Decree No. 64 of 2026. This updated regulation replaces the framework established in 2014 and aims to strengthen healthcare attention and expand detection coverage. The policy specifically focuses on increased screening for children, pregnant women, and women of childbearing age to prevent the transmission of the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite across both public and private health institutions.

In Colombia, ninety-four municipalities across nine departments received international accreditation from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). This accreditation recognizes the interruption of domestic vectorial transmission of the disease in these areas, benefiting approximately 1.6 million people. The achievement follows an international verification mission and highlights coordinated efforts in prevention, surveillance, and vector control supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Colombian Ministry of Health and Social Protection.