PAHO Launches VR Platform for Public Health Labs
PAHO (Pan American Health Organisation) has launched a virtual reality platform to boost public health lab preparedness for influenza and other epidemic pathogens across the Americas.
The platform is part of efforts to support community protection and strengthen the health system’s readiness for disease outbreaks and public health emergencies.
The system provides a three-dimensional simulation of a molecular biology laboratory based on the structure and workflows of a national influenza centre. Users can navigate key operational areas, including sample reception, molecular processing, and genomic sequencing, following the sequence of activities observed in real laboratory settings. The environment is designed to reflect routine practices used in pathogen surveillance and outbreak response.
Within the virtual space, users can explore laboratory rooms and interact with equipment, biosafety elements, and operational materials that represent core components of a resilient laboratory system.
In addition to spatial navigation, the platform includes technical resources central to laboratory operations. Interactive access points provide diagnostic algorithms, biosafety standards, quality control manuals, technical protocols, and documentation related to the International Health Regulations. Supporting materials, including documents, videos, and infographics, are embedded throughout the virtual environment.
Epidemiological surveillance and monitoring systems, including laboratory functions, are essential for the early detection of emerging diseases with pandemic potential (diseases that could spread globally) and for enabling appropriate responses to national and international health emergencies.
The tool is accessible on virtual reality headsets, standard computers, and mobile devices, allowing use across countries and institutions with varying levels of technical infrastructure. PAHO has presented the platform as a complement to traditional training methods and as a practical learning option for laboratory personnel with limited access to advanced facilities or face-to-face instruction.
The virtual laboratory was developed to support active learning and joint effort among professionals. The immersive format facilitates exploration of laboratory facilities, knowledge exchange, and strengthens laboratory capacity and the durability of the health system across the region. Juliana Leite of PAHO’s Laboratory Response Team was involved in the development of the initiative.
The project’s main goal is to improve readiness for public health emergencies. The platform allows staff to learn equipment, procedures, and safety requirements beforehand, which speeds onboarding and lowers operational gaps in emergencies. Its design is shaped by challenges posed by recent outbreaks, where surge capacity and standardised practices were essential.
The initiative also aims to strengthen laboratory quality and biosafety, and to develop resilient national laboratory systems. Danilo Franco of Panama’s Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies noted the platform’s role in supporting continuous training and consolidating functional protocols and response tools used during public health events.
The virtual reality tool was presented during the regional meeting of laboratories within the Severe Acute Respiratory Infections Network (SARInet plus), held in Brazil. The meeting brought together laboratory specialists from Latin America and the Caribbean to review priorities and coordination mechanisms for monitoring respiratory viruses, including influenza and COVID-19, amid ongoing public health risks.
PAHO reported that seasonal influenza and respiratory syncytial virus were circulating simultaneously across the Americas in January 2026, increasing the risk of saturation of hospital and clinical services. The organisation urged countries to strengthen surveillance, vaccination, and preparation, noting that influenza positivity remains elevated in the Northern Hemisphere and that older adults are among the most affected groups.
In Mexico, health authorities reported more than 2,300 laboratory-confirmed influenza cases as of epidemiological week 53 of the 2025–2026 season, including seven associated deaths. Overall severity has remained comparable with previous seasons; however, overlapping circulation of respiratory viruses could increase demand for care, particularly among older patients with pre-existing respiratory conditions. PAHO identified vaccination, early detection, and home-based management as key measures to reduce hospitalisations, reports MBN.
Participants at the SARInet+ meeting indicated that the platform could serve as a model for national adaptation. Vernel Feloion of the Ezra Long Laboratory in Saint Lucia noted that the virtual environment supports visualisation and planning of molecular biology facilities while helping users understand laboratory workflows and protocols, particularly for personnel lacking prior experience in fully equipped laboratories.
