The Ministry of Public Health (MSP) co-hosted the opening of the second cohort of the Training Program in Informatics and Data Science for Health (IDASH) in South America on November 17, 2025. The event took place in Quito and was organized by the International Training and Education Center for Health at the University of Washington (UW I-TECH), in partnership with the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with support from the State Graduate University (IAEN).
The IDASH program aims to train current and future leaders in public health. The initiative expanded to South America in 2024, and this year’s session includes representatives from Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru.
Jimmy Martin, Minister of Public Health, emphasized collaboration among governments focused on technical excellence. “Ecuador has the great responsibility to carry out this work plan. (…) The health systems of the future do not depend only on infrastructure or technology. They depend on capable people who are committed and willing to collaborate. Each one of you represents that capacity and commitment,” said Martin.
IDASH seeks to strengthen regional abilities to use information systems and public health data, improve population health outcomes, reinforce epidemiological surveillance, and enhance detection and response to public health threats.
Lawrence Petroni, Acting Chief of Mission for the United States, noted: “This training program represents a significant step forward for using data-driven decision-making in public health under the leadership of the Ministry of Public Health (MSP). The commitment of the United States is deep to support capacities in health systems so as to build a better future.”
Matt Lozier, CDC representative in Ecuador, stated: “It is an honor to lead and launch the second cohort of IDASH in South America.” He added that expectations are high for a meaningful impact across participating countries.
Fernanda Magalhaes Freistadt, Regional Director for IDASH Project South America, highlighted both the importance of implementing such programs across the continent as well as their role in developing new projects, programs, and indicators aimed at strengthening healthcare networks.
Carlos Jácome, Rector at IAEN, welcomed participants by thanking MSP for selecting his institution as host. He affirmed academia’s commitment to improving public health systems through these exchanges.
