In Latin American and the Caribbean, a large research capacity was already present and researchers already collaborated. What was missing was the consistent use of the ecohealth methodology. Because of existing capacity in the LAC region, a competitive process was established in order to facilitate the formation of a CoPEH (CoPEH-LAC). In partnership with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR, Global Health Initiative), IDRC awarded funding to a network of researchers and institutions from seven countries including Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Mexico. A unique feature of CoPEH-LAC was the emphasis on the partnernership between Southern and Canadian institutions. The first CoPEH-LAC is focusing on the health effects of toxic substances.

CoPEH-LAC is organized into five sub-regional nodes whose activities are coordinated through a Centre of Excellence within each sub-region. Each region provides expertise on a specific theme, which it then contributes to the network as a whole (i.e. Mexico is the expert on vector-borne diseases; Costa Rica on pesticide use and toxic exposures; the Andean region on heavy metals and mining).

The objectives of CoPEH-LAC include:

• To consolidate a decentralized network of centers of excellence that grows progressively, building on and reinforcing existing institutions with strengths in research, interventions, policy and practice in the different regions of LAC;
• To design and implement a Workshop Program to strengthen on-going research and intervention initiatives;
• To design and implement an action plan for visibility, dissemination and networking;
• To develop and test a strategy for building partnerships and interfacing Ecohealth research and policy making; and
• To develop and set up a functional website that fosters exchange with other networks.

For more information, visit the CoPEH-LAC web site.