Vector-borne diseases are a significant public health concern in Latin America and the Caribbean and are responsible for one million years of potential life loss due to premature death or disability. Building on over a decade of ecohealth research support, IDRC is working with research organizations and networks in the region to improve the effectiveness of vector-control interventions and policies.
The Field-Building Leadership in Prevention and Control of Vector-borne Diseases – Latin America and Caribbean project operates out of four 'ecohealth nodes' located in Colombia, Venezuela, Central America, and Yucatán, Mexico. The nodes are centres of regional research and capacity building. They support the dissemination of ecohealth research findings, the scaling up of ecohealth interventions, and the conduct of studies on their cost-effectiveness.