M Pamela Bravo Alcantara
Washington,DC
Summary
Public health specialist with 15 rich years of international experience, working in different immunization related activities in a variety of settings, including fragile countries. Ms. Bravo is highly skilled in providing technical leadership, analysis and interpretation of surveillance and immunization regional data, outbreak response, top-notch knowledge and managerial guidance in a wide variety of country health environments in the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) region. Ms. Bravo has strong analytical and writing skills, impressive cross-cultural interpersonal skills, as well as multilingual competency. Ms. Bravo has published over 20 articles in peer-reviewed journals, policy, and technical documents. Finally, Ms. Bravo has taught in different outbreak response and surveillance courses throughout Latin American and the Caribbean and has reviewed several peer-reviewer manuscripts within the immunization topic.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Immunization Specialist
Pan American Health Organization
01.2017 - Current
- Supported country efforts for documenting the sustainability of measles, rubella, and Congenital Rubella Syndrome Elimination in the Americas
- Provided technical guidance in implementing risk analysis assessments at the country level for measles and rubella, including prioritization of most-needed areas.
- Strengthened outbreak preparedness, response and surveillance capacities and analysis for measles and rubella, with emphasis in fragile states or with an influx of migration
- Supported countries in expanding access to their immunization services, especially in a context of growing number of vulnerable population and displaced migrants
- Provided technical guidance to countries to perform integrated epidemiological analysis with COVID-19 pandemic and arbovirus diseases; as well as operational research to support evidence-based decision making
- Provided technical assistance to countries in increasing data ownership and surveillance analysis
- Collaborated in the development and evaluation of strategies aimed to strengthen the routine immunization and surveillance programs in fragile countries.
- Collaborated in providing the political platforms for partner coordination in the Americas, to collectively encourage to sustain the measles and rubella regional elimination gains.
- Collaborated in strengthening surveillance systems for adverse events following immunization.
Measles-Rubella Elimination Officer
Pan American Health Organization
01.2012 - 12.2016
- Provided technical guidance to countries in epidemiological field investigation of measles outbreaks and control measures, in critical epidemiological scenarios
- Supported regional verification process (systematic analysis of epidemiology, molecular epidemiology and immunization data) of measles and rubella elimination
- Supported development, installation and management of electronic information systems tools, in order to ensure and enhance quality of measles, rubella, CRS and vaccine safety surveillance information
- Developed different tools and/or surveillance guidelines to translate policy and research into prevention and control practices and disseminating findings to program partners
- Collaborated in development and evaluation of strategies aimed to strengthen routine immunization and surveillance programs in fragile countries
- Served as liaison with strategic partners and national governments to push for establishment of global measles eradication, in context of global health security.
Project Support Specialist
Pan American Health Organization
01.2009 - 01.2012
- Provided technical guidance to countries to maintain elimination gains in measles, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).
- Provided technical guidance to countries for the analysis, packaging and use of epidemiological research results in order to improve surveillance systems.
- Developed and introduced innovative operations research protocols (vaccination coverage and surveillance) at the country level, which will enable them to both use and contribute to perfecting important best practices and lessons learn.
- Provided technical guidance to countries in epidemiological field investigation of measles outbreaks and control measures.
- Advocated and demonstrating strategic and feasible ways with countries to accelerate progress in immunization of all children in Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Strengthened national capacities to implement feasible and effective vaccine safety strategies, for maintaining the public trust on the immunization services.
- Strengthened effective partnerships between PAHO, national ministries of health, other strategic partners, such as the U.S Centers for Disease Control and other relevant immunization project stakeholders, including communities.
- Organized and convened various technical consultations for positioning PAHO as an active and strategic leader within the global immunization field.
Children’s Social Protection Specialist
Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Population, Peru
01.2004 - 01.2006
- Developed and conducted advocacy and mobilization strategies to build a Legislative Power in favor of children’s rights
- Developed and supervised communications strategies to promote children’s rights among the public and the private sector as well as the general population
- Developed and implemented strategies to engage partnership support in favor of children’s rights, especially for child sexual exploitation and birth registration at the local and regional level
- Strengthened capacity building of strategic key players on children’s rights promotion and defense
- Maintained effective communication and coordination with the Ministry’s partners to promote and advance the children’s rights promotion agenda.
Technical Communication Officer
Ministry of Health, Peru
01.2002 - 01.2004
- Developed and conducted health promotion and communications strategies, with particular emphasis on child’s health issues
- Conducted monitoring and evaluation activities of the health communications campaigns and programs running nationwide
- Provided technical leadership and assistance to Regional Health Offices for effectively implementing health promotion and communication strategies
- Assisted in strengthening the Ministry’s network collaboration in health promotion and communication, developing strong synergies within the Ministry and relevant partners
- Improved and maintained the national health communications network, with great emphasis on building and strengthening local capacities.
Education
Master of Public Health - Public Health, Global Health
The George Washington University
Washington DCCertificate - Performance Management & Social Responsibility
University of Maastricht
The NetherlandsCertificate - Health Promotion Interventions
Maastricht School of Management
The NetherlandsBachelor of Arts - Education
Catholic University of Peru
LimaBachelor of Arts - Social Communications
University of Lima
LimaSkills
- Epidemiological Investigation
- Surveillance Strategies
- Data Analysis
- Project Implementation
- Infection Risk Assessment
- Problem Resolution
- Developing Prevention Policies
- Report Writing
- Trend Monitoring
- Emergency Preparedness
- Infectious Disease Response
Accomplishments
- Regional Framework for the Monitoring and Re-Verification of Measles, Rubella, and Congenital Rubella Syndrome Elimination in the Americas. Pastor D, Rey-Benito G, Bravo-Alcantara P, Ruiz Matus C (technical coordination). Washington, D.C.: Pan American Health Organization; 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37774/9789275124062
- Measles and Rubella Risk Assessment Tool User Guide. Bravo-Alcántara P, Ortiz C, Pastor D (technical coordination). Washington, D.C.: Pan American Health Organization; 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37774
- Public Health Responses during Measles Outbreaks in Elimination Settings: Strategies and Challenges. Gastañaduy P, Banerjee E, DeBolt C, Bravo-Alcántara P, Samad S, Pastor D, Rota P, Patel M, Crowcroft N, & Durrheim D. (2018): DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2018.1474310
- MMR2 vaccination coverage and timeliness among children born in 2004 – 2009: a national survey in Saint Lucia, 2015. Belmar-George S, Cassius-Frederick J, Leon P, Alexander S, Holder Y, Lewis-Bell KN, Danovaro-Holliday C and Bravo-Alcántara P. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2018;42:e76. https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2018.76
- Building capacity for active surveillance of vaccine adverse events in the Americas: a hospital-based multi-country network. Vaccine. 2018 Jan 8;36(3):363-370. Bravo- Alcántara P, Pérez-Vilar S, Molina-León HF, Sturkenboom M, Black S, Zuber PLF, Maure C, Castro JL; L.A.N.V.A.P. (Latin American Network for VAccine Pharmacovigilance)
- Operational lessons learned in conducting a multi-country collaboration for vaccine safety signal verification and hypothesis testing: The global vaccine safety multi country collaboration initiative. Vaccine. 2018 Jan 8;36(3):355-362. Guillard-Maure C, Elango V, Black S, Perez-Vilar S, Castro JL, Bravo-Alcántara P, Molina-León HF, Weibel D, Sturkenboom M, Zuber PLF, WHO Global Vaccine Safety-Multi Country Collaboration.
- Enhancing global vaccine pharmacovigilance: Proof-of-concept study on aseptic meningitis and immune thrombocytopenic purpura following measles-mumps containing vaccination. Vaccine. 2018 Jan 8;36(3):347-354. Perez-Vilar S, Weibel D, Sturkenboom M, Black S, Maure C, Castro JL, Bravo-Alcántara P, Dodd CN, Romio SA, de Ridder M, Nakato S, Molina-León HF, Elango V, Zuber PLF; WHO Global Vaccine Safety-Multi Country Collaboration.
- Risk analysis for the reintroduction and transmission of measles in the post-elimination period in the Americas. Rev Panam Salud Publica;41, dec. 2017. Lemos, Daniele Rocha Queiroz; Franco, Aidee Ramirez; Garcia, Márcio Henrique de Oliveira; Pastor, Desireé; Bravo-Alcántara, Pamela; de Moraes, José Cássio; Domingues, Carla; Cavalcanti, Luciano Pamplona de Góes
- Missed opportunities for Vaccination in the Dominican Republic: Results of an Operational Investigation. Biomed Res Int. 2016;2016:4721836. Epub 2016 Oct 12. Garib Z, Vargas AL, Trumbo SP, Anthony K, Diaz-Ortega JL, Bravo-Alcántara P, Leal I, Danovaro-Holliday MC, Velandia-González M.
- Development of a District-Level Programmatic Assessment Tool for Risk of Measles Virus Transmission. Risk Anal. 2015 May 15. Lam E, Schluter W, Balcha G, Teleb N, Bravo-Alcántara P, Shefer A, Jankovic D, McFarland J, Elfakki E, Takashima Y, Perry RT, Dabbagh AJ, Banerjee K, Strebel PM, Goodson JL
- Lessons learned from the development of a new methodology to assess missed opportunities for vaccination in Latin America and the Caribbean. BMC Int Health Hum Rights. 2015 Feb 21; 15(1):5. Velandia-González M, Trumbo SP, Díaz-Ortega JL, Bravo Alcántara P, Danovaro-Holliday MC, Dietz V, Ruiz-Matus C.
- Events supposedly attributable to vaccination or immunization during pandemic influenza A (H1N1) vaccination campaigns in Latin America and the Caribbean. Vaccine, 33 Issue 1, 1 (2015), pp 187-192. Ropero-Alvarez AP, Whittembury A, Bravo-Alcántara P, Kurtis HJ, Danovaro-Holiday MC, Velandia-Gonzalez M
- Effective vaccine safety systems in all countries: A challenge for more equitable access to immunization. Vaccine, 31 (Suppls. 2) (2013), pp B108-B114. Amarasinghe A; Black S; Bonhoeffer J; Deotti Carvalho S; Dodoo A; Eskola J; Larson H; Shin S; Olsson S; Balakrishnan M; Bellah A; Lambach P; Maure C; Wood D; Zuber P; Akanmori B; Bravo P; Pombo M, et al.
- García L DA, Velandia-González M, Trumbo SP, Pedreira MC, Bravo-Alcántara P, Danovaro-Holliday MC. Understanding the main barriers to immunization in Colombia to better tailor communication strategies. BMC Public Health. 2014 Jun 30;14:669. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-669.
- Barrera L, Chévez AE, Trumbo SP, Bravo-Alcántara P, Velandia-González M, DanovaroHolliday MC. From the parents’ perspective: a user-satisfaction survey of immunization services in Guatemala. BMC Public Health. 2014 March 6; 14: 231. doi: 10.1186/14712458-14-231
- Elimination of rubella and congenital rubella syndrome in the Americas. J Infect Dis 2011; Castillo-Solórzano C; Marsigli C; Bravo-Alcántara P; Flannery B; Ruiz Matus C; Tambini J; Andrus J.
- Methodology for the Evaluation of Missed Opportunities for Vaccination. Diaz-Ortega J, Trumbo P, Bravo P, Velandia M and Ruiz-Matus C (editors). Pan American Health Organization, Washington DC; 2014
- Plan of Action for the Documentation and Verification of Measles, Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome in the Region of the Americas. Castillo-Solorzano C; Ruiz Matus C, Morice A, Reef S (editors). Bravo P, Marsigli C, Diaz-Ortega J (collaborators and reviewers). Pan American Health Organization, Washington DC; 2011.
- Compendium of Measles Articles (English and Spanish). Castillo-Solorzano C; Ruiz Matus C (editors). Pacis C, Marsigli C, Bravo-Alcántara P, Okey R, Carpano B (Collaborators and reviewers). Pan American Health Organization, Washington DC; 2009.
- Compendium of Rubella and CRS Articles (English and Spanish). Castillo-Solorzano C; Ruiz Matus C (editors). Bravo P, Marsigli C, Revilla F (collaborators and reviewers). Pan American Health Organization, Washington DC; 2009.
- Images that Inspire: The Mobilization of the Americas to eliminate measles and rubella. Castillo-Solorzano C; Ruiz Matus C, Tambini G (editors). Bravo P, Marsigli C, Revilla F (Collaborators and reviewers). Pan American Health Organization, Washington DC; 2009.
- Progress toward elimination of rubella and congenital rubella syndrome – the Americas, 2003-2008. MMWR Vol. 57 / No 43
- We call upon the Congress: an advocacy strategy on behalf of birth registration rights”. Cases in Public Health, Communication and Marketing. The George Washington University, 2006.
Languages
Spanish
Native language
English
Proficient
C2
Timeline
Immunization Specialist
Pan American Health Organization
01.2017 - Current
Measles-Rubella Elimination Officer
Pan American Health Organization
01.2012 - 12.2016
Project Support Specialist
Pan American Health Organization
01.2009 - 01.2012
Children’s Social Protection Specialist
Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Population, Peru
01.2004 - 01.2006
Technical Communication Officer
Ministry of Health, Peru
01.2002 - 01.2004
Master of Public Health - Public Health, Global Health
The George Washington University
Certificate - Performance Management & Social Responsibility
University of Maastricht
Certificate - Health Promotion Interventions
Maastricht School of Management
Bachelor of Arts - Education
Catholic University of Peru
Bachelor of Arts - Social Communications
University of Lima
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