Americas congratulates PAHO on 100 years of progress! (Upfront).

• Position: Brief Article

Eradication of smallpox and polio

65 percent reduction in leprosy since 1992

On track toward elimination of onchocerciasis, targeted for 2007

Transmission of Chagas' disease interrupted in Uruguay, Chile, and six states of Brazil; work is advancing in Argentina and Paraguay

Improvement in water supply and waste disposal services, with coverage exceeding 90 percent in some countries

Dramatic increases in tuberculosis case-finding and cure rates

Development of regional information systems for epidemiological surveillance of food-borne diseases and for food legislation

Risk of diseases transmitted by blood transfusion reduced by one-half

Progress toward eradication of foot-and-mouth disease (original date for achieving eradication, 2013, has been moved up to 2007)

Life expectancy at birth rose from less than 50 years to 69.8 years in Latin America and the Caribbean, and to 76.9 years in North America

Reduction in dental caries, including a reduction of 84 percent in Jamaica over the past decade

Strengthening and improving care for the 2.6 million people in the Americas...