World Chagas Disease Day 2026; April 14th.

FORUM: “Women at the heart: protecting the next generation from Chagas disease” World Chagas Disease Day 2026. This year’s observance underscores the key role women play in family and community caregiving, as well as their greater interaction with health services, particularly during pregnancy. Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is primarily transmitted by triatomine insect vectors, although it can also spread through oral transmission, blood transfusion, and mother-to-child. It may be asymptomatic in its early stages and but can lead to severe cardiac and digestive complications years or even decades later. According to the PAHO data, in the 21 endemic countries of the Americas, approximately 7.5 million people are living with the infection, more than 100 million are at risk, and around 30,000 new cases and 10,000 related deaths are reported each year. The disease also represents a significant economic burden, with an estimated annual cost of $500 million and the loss of approximately 770,000 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Demographic changes and migration have increased the importance of non-vector transmission, particularly mother-to-child transmission. It is estimated that between 2% and 8% of infected pregnant women transmit the parasite to their babies, resulting in around 9,000 new cases each year through this route. Congenital transmission represents one of today’s main challenges, but also a key opportunity for effective intervention. Strengthening screening in maternal and child health services and ensuring access to diagnosis and treatment are essential to break the cycle of transmission. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #14April, #Healthequity, #WorldChagasDiseaseDay.

EVENT: On Tuesday, April 14th to mark the World Chagas Disease Day 2026, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Global Chagas Coalition called for strengthening the response to this disease and highlighted the role of women in early detection, prevention, and care. To advance toward elimination, PAHO and the Global Chagas Coalition emphasize the importance of expanding access to early diagnosis and timely treatment—especially for women of reproductive age—integrating screening into maternal and child health programs, strengthening primary health care, and promoting sustained public policies and intersectoral coordination. The PAHO, its Member States, and strategic partners such as the Global Chagas Coalition continue to work together to raise awareness and promote a collective response under the principle of leaving no one behind. Congenital Chagas disease is part of PAHO’s Elimination Initiative, which aims to eliminate more than 30 diseases and related conditions in the Region of the Americas by 2030. Within this framework, countries are working to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment, with the goal of curing 90% or more of newborns infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Register to participate!




STATEMENTS: “Eliminating Chagas disease as a public health problem requires placing women at the center of diagnosis, treatment, and care strategies,” said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director. “Ensuring timely access to quality health services, particularly for women of reproductive age, is essential to prevent new infections and advance toward the elimination of congenital Chagas disease in the Region of the Americas,” he added.

“The role of women in the fight against Chagas must not and should not translate into an additional burden or exclusive responsibility for them,” said organizations from the Secretariat of the Global Chagas Coalition. “On the contrary, it represents a strategic opportunity to strengthen more equitable, accessible, and responsive health systems that recognize and respect women’s needs.”

WEBINARIO: Hoy es 14 de abril, Dia Mundial Chagas, y salimos todas y todos a reafirmar nuestros compromisos por un futuro libre de enfermedad de Chagas. Este año las asociaciones destacan el papel fundamental que desempeñan las mujeres en la lucha contra esta Enfermedad Tropical Desatendida (ETD): "Las mujeres en el centro de la atención: protegiendo a la próxima generación de la enfermedad de Chagas" Por eso hemos querido hablar con algunas de las mujeres más destacadas de la comunidad de Chagas, para que nos cuenten su experiencia a este respecto desde las disciplinas en que contribuyen a la mejoría de las personas afectadas y al objeto final de acabar con la enfermedad de Chagas como problema de salud pública. Además, por cortesía de BeatChagas, estrenamos durante la sesión el nuevo spot de la campaña "Yo visto la camiseta del Día Mundial de la Enfermedad de Chagas 2026" (Ponte La Camiseta), una producción de BeatChagas en Colaboración con la OMS para la celebración del Día Mundial 2026.