Latin America is moving toward improved health care systems, particularly in the production of critical medical products like in-vitro diagnostics (IVDs) and vaccines. Although the region has historically relied on imports, recent developments show a growing commitment to bolstering local manufacturing.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, less than 4 percent of diagnostic products and 15 percent of vaccines were locally produced, but this experience has galvanized national governments and regional bodies to invest in expanding their production capacities.

Countries like Brazil, Argentina, and Cuba, which already have strong manufacturing bases, are leading the charge, setting the stage for a more resilient health care future in Latin America that includes equitable and timely access to vaccines and health technologies.

The diagnostics sector in Latin America is experiencing rapid growth, emerging as the fastest-growing market for IVDs globally. This growth is driven by a shift toward decentralized testing and the increasing availability of point-of-care (POC) diagnostics. Governments across the region, such as in Colombia and Brazil, are implementing initiatives to improve access to these essential tools, such as Anvisa’s resolution from May 2023 to enable point of care testing in pharmacies, as a screening measure and in isolated clinics, especially in underserved areas.

With a growing number of local manufacturers focusing on diagnostics tailored to the region’s needs, like dengue, chikungunya, and Zika diagnostics, Latin America is becoming a key player in addressing global health challenges.

Vaccine production in the region is also an important focus, with over 20 vaccine manufacturers identified in Latin America, including both bulk manufacturers and formulation, fill, and finish manufacturers. Efforts to regain coverage for non-COVID-19 vaccines, supported by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), are showing promise and the region is well-positioned to strengthen its vaccine production capabilities further.

For example, PAHO’s Special Program, Innovation and Regional Production Platform promotes regional cooperation to reduce dependence on imports and enhance local manufacturing, with an initial emphasis on expanding mRNA vaccine production. The progress made in both diagnostics and vaccines highlights Latin America’s potential to become increasingly self-reliant and secure in its health care supply chains.

To further support reliable supply chains in the region, there is a need for greater visibility into Latin America's diagnostic and vaccine manufacturing capabilities. The dashboards below aggregate publicly available information on both vaccine and diagnostic manufacturers in the region to boost awareness and offer a snapshot of their product, regulatory, and manufacturing capabilities, product portfolios, and quality systems across various diseases and geographical areas.

By providing stakeholders with accessible and streamlined data, our hope is that this tool will help stakeholders identify opportunities, foster collaboration, and continue building a robust and sustainable health care system across the region.

The dashboards below provide a snapshot view of these capabilities:

Explore the interactive diagnostics manufacturing dashboard.

Explore the interactive vaccines manufacturing dashboard.

This work builds on PATH’s ongoing activities supporting local supply security ofdiagnostics and vaccines. The dashboards are made possible thanks to a landscape of diagnostic and vaccine manufacturers in the region (as of February 2024).

Data were sourced from extensive desktop research, including literature review, market and industry reports, publicly available databases, as well as government and company websites and other sources. Despite extensive research, findings reflected in these dashboards are non-exhaustive and intended to provide a snapshot overview only.