The Council of Ministers of Health of Central America and the Dominican Republic (COMISCA), in accordance with COMISCA Regulation 01-2021, is the health body within the Central American Integration System (SICA). COMISCA analyzes and decides on areas related to the regional health sector within the framework of Central American Integration.

The Executive Secretary of COMISCA (SE-COMISCA) is the permanent executive and technical body that represents the institutionality of COMISCA within the framework of SICA and is responsible for coordinating the processes for the implementation of the decisions of the Council of Ministers of Health of Central America and Dominican Republic (COMISCA), leading the actions that allow the good development of the regional integration process in the area of ​​health.

This facilitates its coordination with other SICA institutions, as well as with other regional and extra-regional entities in the implementation of integrated, harmonized, effective and efficient regional health initiatives.

SE-COMISCA through Cooperative Agreement number NU2HGH000022 with the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) of the United States; implements the Global Health Project "Improving global health security: expanding efforts and strategies to protect and improve public health globally" and which aims to strengthen local public health capacities in the region of Central America and the Dominican Republic .

Considering the various health alerts issued at the international, regional, and national levels regarding zoonotic diseases such as influenza, rabies, and screwworm, and that in recent years outbreaks of these diseases have been reported in countries across the Americas (Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela), it is considered extremely important to develop a digital tool that can support the population in recognizing the disease and knowing what measures to take to avoid contagion and its spread.  

Your virtual assistant for learning about zoonotic diseases.

Avi One Health was created thanks to the cooperative support between the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Executive Secretariat of COMISCA (SE-COMISCA), within the framework of the Regional One Health Program. Its objective is to provide the public with access to validated information and preventive guidance through a virtual assistant that answers questions related to three zoonotic diseases of regional relevance: influenza, rabies, and screwworm. It can be accessed through various platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and the official Avi One Health website, offering key information on each disease, symptoms in animals and humans, modes of transmission, precautionary and safety measures, and recommendations in suspected cases. It is also an important resource for contacting national institutions to obtain more information on influenza, report suspected cases in animals and humans.  

Learn more about our regional efforts to prevent and control influenza, rabies, and screwworm.