Transcript Slide 1

United States – México Border Health Commission
If the U.S. - México Border were a
separate state, it would rank...
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First in number of children living in poverty
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Second in incidence of tuberculosis
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Third in deaths from hepatitis
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Last in number of health
professionals/100,000 population
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Last in per capita income
U.S. México Border Counties
Coalition March 2006
www.bordercounties.org
Purpose of the U.S.-México Border
Health Commission (BHC)
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Identify and evaluate current and future health
problems affecting the population in the United
States-México border area
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Encourage and facilitate actions to address
these problems
La Paz Agreement
Definition of Border – 100 km – 60 miles
Goals of the BHC
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Institutionalize a domestic focus on border
health that can transcend political changes
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Create an effective venue for binational
discussion to address key public health
issues at the border
Roles of the BHC
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Promote social and community participation
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Act as a catalyst for needed change
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Increase resources for the border
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Encourage self-responsibility for health
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Institutionalize domestic focus
BHC Composition and Structure
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Two nations
Ten border states (six Mexican States,
four U.S. States)
United States and México Sections—
12 Members each
Led by two Commissioners
BHC Accomplishments
Commission Outreach Offices (OROs)
Accomplishments of the individual
OROs are provided in the Thirteenth
Annual Meeting Briefing Binder.
Border Binational Health
Week (BBHW) 2005
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Purpose- weeklong series of events to
bring awareness to health needs along the
border
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Update- 2005 BBHW focused on
“Families in Action for Health,” and
helped to provide health awareness to
people along the border
Contact: Ernesto Ramirez, Mexico Section and Christopher Hickey, Ph.D., OGHA
Border Governors Conference
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Annual conferences include governors
from all ten border states, ongoing work
tables
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Update- 24th annual conference (August
2006, Austin) will focus on public health
emergency preparedness and pandemic
influenza preparedness
Border Health Risk Factor
Surveillance
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Purpose- a surveillance system to monitor
risk factors for chronic disease
Update- in January, the binational
technical team met and recommended
improvements to survey data collection
methodology
Contact: Carmen Sanchez-Vargas, HHS/CDC Liaison to the BHC
Binational Border Health
Information Platform
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Purpose- Web-based border health data
system for researchers and policymakers
Update- Ongoing binational collaboration
to complete project later this year in
October, 2006.
Contact: Dr. Rafael Lozano Ascencio, Mexican Secretariat of Health, and Dr. Sam
Notzon, National Center for Health Statistics, CDC/HHS
Border Infectious Disease
Surveillance (BIDS)
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Purpose- BIDS program funds binational disease
surveillance infrastructure and has developed
channels of communication that serve as a
framework for future efforts in disease
surveillance, preparedness and response.
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Update- convened 5th Annual Meeting,
developed English/Spanish laboratory and
epidemiology manuals, and provided diagnostic
kits and supplies
Contact: Hector Martinez, Mexican Section
Early Warning Infectious
Disease Surveillance (EWIDS)
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Purpose- the EWIDS Project will improve crossborder activities in early detection, identification, and
reporting of infectious diseases associated with
potential bio-terror agents or other major threats to
public health.
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Update- on March 9, 2006, the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services released $5 million to
U.S.-México Science Foundation (FUMEC), who will
administer funds to six Mexican border states and the
SSA
Contact: Hector Martinez, Mexican Section, and Christopher Hickey, OGHA
Binational Public Health
Research Forum
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Purpose- to convene a meeting between
researchers and policymakers along the
border to identify health research
priorities.
Status- Scheduled for October 2006
Contact: Dra. Dora Elia Cortés Hernández and Hector Martinez
Lead (Pb) Issues Along the
Border
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Purpose- a meeting was convened to
discuss the issue of lead (Pb) in candy and
other non-paint sources
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Update- the meeting took place on Jan. 2627, 2006. U.S. border state officials, U.S.
federal officials, and BHC México Section
Executive Secretary participated.
Contact: Dan Reyna, U.S. Section
Multi-Drug Resistant
Tuberculosis (TB) Efforts
Purpose- To ensure effective transportation of
Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB)
drugs across the U.S.-México border
Update- The Commission coordinated a call with
the Texas Department of State Health Services,
PAHO, Mexican National TB Program that
helped stakeholders to agree on strategies for
consistent cross-border transport of TB
medications
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Contact: R.J. Dutton, Ph.D. Texas Department of State Health Services
Ventanillas de Salud
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Purpose- Stations within the Mexican Consulates
to help direct the population at risk to
appropriate health services
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Status- Two Ventanillas de Salud were opened in
2006. They are Tucson, Arizona and McAllen,
Texas. Another one is expected to open later this
year in El Paso, Texas
Contact: Paola Pliego, Mexican Section
National Infant Immunization
Week/Vaccination Week in the
Americas
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Purpose- an annual observance to promote
immunization
Status- There will be borderwide events,
particularly in the State of Arizona, during
the week of April 22-29 to promote the
importance of immunization.
Contact: Carmen Sanchez-Vargas, HHS/CDC Liaison to the BHC