Eighty years of medical research tradition paid off

PANAMA. The Gorgas Memorial Institute of Tropical and Preventive Medicine, Incorporated (GMITP), which operated the Gorgas Laboratories in Panama, was founded in 1921 and was named after Dr. William C. Gorgas.

The institute has been recognized at an international level for its research in the areas of tropical medicine.

The contributions of the institute since its creation have been many, especially for diseases such as malaria, toxoplasmosis and respiratory viruses to mention a few.

Its extensive zoological and insect collection have helped hundreds of researchers to understand how diseases are transmitted.

In 2007, following its tradition the Gorgas Institute initiated a pioneering program to help to tackle a possible avian flu pandemic.

During the last two years the Gorgas has trained Panamanian and Central American personnel with regards to the avian flu, designing plans for hospital in case of a pandemic. That training has paid off in times of crisis.

With a $4 million donation from the US and $2 million from the Panamanian government, the Institute feels prepared to to face the swine flu outbreak that currently is sweeping the globe if it hits Panamanian shores.