Rapid health evaluation in migrant peoples in transit through Darien, Panama: protocol for a multimethod qualitative and quantitative study.

BACKGROUND: The world is currently unprepared to deal with the drastic increase in global migration. There is an urgent need to develop programs to protect the well-being and health of migrant peoples. Increased population movement is already evident throughout the Americas as exemplified by the rising number of migrant peoples who pass through the Darien neotropical moist broadleaf forest along the border region between Panama and Colombia. The transit of migrant peoples through this area has an increase in the last years. In 2021, an average of 9400 people entered the region per month compared with 2000-3500 people monthly in 2019. Along this trail, there is no access to health care, food provision, potable water, or housing. To date, much of what is known about health needs and barriers to health care within this population is based on journalistic reports and anecdotes. There is a need for a comprehensive approach to assess the health care needs of migrant peoples in transit. This study aims to describe demographic characteristics, mental and physical health status and needs, and experiences of host communities, and to identify opportunities to improve health care provision to migrant peoples in transit in Panama. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This multimethod study will include qualitative (n = 70) and quantitative (n = 520) components. The qualitative component includes interviews with migrant peoples in transit, national and international nongovernmental organizations and agencies based in Panama. The quantitative component is a rapid epidemiological study which includes a questionnaire and four clinical screenings: mental health, sexual and reproductive health, general and tropical medicine, and nutrition. CONCLUSION: This study will contribute to a better understanding of the health status and needs of migrant peoples in transit through the region. Findings will be used to allocate resources and provide targeted health care interventions for migrant peoples in transit through Darien, Panama

U.S. bound journey of migrant peoples InTransit across Dante's Inferno and Purgatory in the Americas

Rapid rise of population migration is a defining feature of the 21st century due to the impact of climate change, political instability, and socioeconomic downturn. Over the last decade, an increasing number of migrant peoples travel across the Americas to reach the United States seeking asylum or cross the border undocumented in search of economic opportunities. In this journey, migrant people experience violations of their human rights, hunger, illness, violence and have limited access to medical care. In the ‘Divine Comedy’, the Italian poet Dante Alighieri depicts his allegorical pilgrimage across Hell and Purgatory to reach Paradise. More than 700 years after its publication, Dante's poem speaks to the present time and the perilious journey of migrant peoples to reach safehavens. By exploring the depths and heights of the human condition, Dante's struggles resonate with the multiple barriers and the unfathomable experiences faced by migrant peoples in transit across South, Central, and North America to reach the United States. Ensuring the safety of migrant peoples across the Americas and elsewhere, and attending to their health needs during their migratory paths represent modern priorities to reduce social injustices and achieving health equity.Fund Neglected Tropical Diseases of the University of Colorado by Mr. Howard Janzen

Human monkeypox disease (MPX)

Monkeypox is a rare viral infection, endemic in many central and western African countries. The last international outbreak of monkeypox reported outside Africa occurred back in 2003. However, monkeypox has reemerged at a global scale with numerous confirmed cases across the globe in 2022. The rapid spread of cases through different countries has raised serious concerns among public health officials worldwide prompting accelerated investigations aimed to identify the origins and cause of the rapid expansion of cases. The current situation is reminiscent of the very early stages of the still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Overlapping features between these, two seemingly alike viral entities include the possibility for airborne transmission and the currently unexplained and rapid spread across borders. Early recognition of cases and timely intervention of potential transmission chains are necessary to contain further outbreaks. Measures should include rapid and accurate diagnosis of cases meeting case definitions, active surveillance efforts, and appropriate containment of confirmed cases. Governments and health policymakers must apply lessons learned from previous outbreaks and start taking active steps toward limiting the recent global spread of monkeypox. Herein, we discuss the status of the current monkeypox outbreaks worldwide, the epidemiological and public health situation at a global scale and what can be done to keep at bay its further expansion and future global implications

Latin America: situation and preparedness facing the multi-country human monkeypox outbreak

Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas. Faculty of Medicine. Grupo de Investigación Biomedicina. Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia / Universidad Científica del Sur. Master of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Lima, Peru / Latin American network of Monkeypox Virus Research. Pereira, Risaralda, ColombiaUniversity of Buenos Aires. Cátedra de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Hospital Britanico de Buenos Aires. Servicio de Infectología. Buenos Aires, Argentina.University of Buenos Aires. Cátedra de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Buenos Aires, Argentina / Hospital de Enfermedades Infecciosas F. J. Muniz. Buenos Aires, Argentina.University of Buenos Aires. Cátedra de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Buenos Aires, Argentina / Hospital de Enfermedades Infecciosas F. J. Muniz. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Hospital Clínico Viedma. Cochabamba, Bolivia.Gobierno Autonomo Municipal de Cochabamba. Secretaría de Salud. Centros de Salud de Primer Nivel. Direction. Cochabamba, Bolivia.Franz Tamayo University. National Research Coordination. La Paz, Bolivia.Paulista State University Júlio de Mesquita Filho. Botucatu Medical School. Infectious Diseases Department. São Paulo, SP, Brazil / Brazilian Society for Infectious Diseases. Sãao Paulo, SP, Brazil.Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Saúde Pública. Departamento de Epidemiologia. São Paulo, SP, Brazil.Institute of Infectious Diseases Emilio Ribas. São Paulo, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovação e Insumos Estratégicos. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Centro de Referencia de Salud Dr. Salvador Allende Gossens. Policlínico Neurología. Unidad Procedimientos. Santiago de Chile, Chile.Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. School of Medicine. Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology. Santiago de Chile, Chile.Universidad Austral de Chile. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Salud Publica. Valdivia, Chile.Ministerio de Salud. Hospital de San Fernando. San Fernando, VI Region, Chile.Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas. Faculty of Medicine. Grupo de Investigación Biomedicina. Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia.Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Department of Pediatrics. Bogota, DC, Colombia / Hospital Pediatrico La Misericordia. Division of Infectious Diseases. Bogota, DC, Colombia.Hemera Unidad de Infectología IPS SAS. Bogota, Colombia.Hospital San Vicente Fundacion. Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia.Clinica Imbanaco Grupo Quironsalud. Cali, Colombia / Universidad Santiago de Cali. Cali, Colombia / Clinica de Occidente. Cali, Colombia / Clinica Sebastian de Belalcazar. Valle del Cauca, Colombia.National Institute of Gastroenterology. Epidemiology Unit. La Habana, CubaHospital Salvador Bienvenido Gautier. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra. Santiago, Dominican Republic.International University of Ecuador. School of Medicine. Quito, Ecuador.Universidad Tecnica de Ambato. Ambato, Ecuador.Hospital Roosevelt. Guatemala City, Guatemala.Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras. Faculty of Medical Sciences. School of Medical. Unit of Scientific Research. Tegucigalpa, Honduras.Hospital Infantil de Mexico. Federico Gomez, Mexico City, Mexico.Hospital General de Tijuana. Departamento de Infectología. Tijuana, Mexico.Hospital General de Tijuana. Departamento de Infectología. Tijuana, Mexico.Asociacion de Microbiólogos y Químicos Clínicos de Nicaragua. Managua, Nicaragua.Hospital Santo Tomas. Medicine Department-Infectious Diseases Service. Panama City, Panama / Instituto Oncologico Nacional. Panama city, Panama.University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix. Division of Endocrinology. Department of Medicine. Phoenix, AZ, USA / Indian School Rd. Phoenix, AZ, USA.Dirección Nacional de Vigilancia Sanitaria. Dirección de Investigación. Asunción, Paraguay.Universidad Nacional de Asuncion. Faculty of Medical Sciences. Division of Dermatology. Asuncion, Paraguay.Instituto Nacional de Salud del Nino San Borja. Infectious Diseases Division. Lima, Peru / Universidad Privada de Tacna. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Tacna, Peru.Universidad San Juan Bautista. Lima, Peru.Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Unidad de Investigación para la Generación y Síntesis de Evidencias en Salud. Lima, Peru.Hospital Evangelico de Montevideo. Montevideo, Uruguay.Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Molecular and Cell-based Medicine. Department of Pathology. Molecular Microbiology Laboratory. New York, USA / Universidad del Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR. Bogota, Colombia.Hospital Evangélico de Montevideo. Montevideo, Uruguay / Venezuelan Science Incubator and the Zoonosis and Emerging Pathogens Regional Collaborative Network. Infectious Diseases Research Branch. Cabudare, Lara, Venezuela.Universidad Central de Venezuela. Faculty of Medicine. Caracas, Venezuela.Universidad Central de Venezuela. Faculty of Medicine. Caracas, Venezuela / Biomedical Research and Therapeutic Vaccines Institute. Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela.Universidad Central de Venezuela. Tropical Medicine Institute, Infectious Diseases Section. Caracas, Venezuela.Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud. Clinical Research Department. Investigador SNI Senacyt Panama. Panama City, Panama