United States – México Border Health CommissionUnited States – México Border Health Commission

If the U.S. - MIf the U.S. - Mééxico Border were a xico Border were a separate state, it would rank...separate state, it would rank...

First in number of children living in povertyFirst in number of children living in poverty Second in incidence of tuberculosisSecond in incidence of tuberculosis Third in deaths from hepatitisThird in deaths from hepatitis Last in number of health Last in number of health

professionals/100,000 populationprofessionals/100,000 population Last in per capita incomeLast in per capita income

U.S. México Border Counties Coalition March 2006

www.bordercounties.org

Purpose of the U.S.-MPurpose of the U.S.-México Border éxico Border Health Commission (BHC)Health Commission (BHC)

Identify and evaluate current and future health Identify and evaluate current and future health problems affecting the population in the United problems affecting the population in the United States-MStates-Mééxico border areaxico border area

Encourage and facilitate actions to address Encourage and facilitate actions to address these problemsthese problems

La Paz AgreementLa Paz Agreement

Definition of Border – 100 km – 60 miles

Goals of the BHCGoals of the BHC

Institutionalize a domestic focus on border Institutionalize a domestic focus on border health that can transcend political changeshealth that can transcend political changes

Create an effective venue for binational Create an effective venue for binational discussion to address key public health discussion to address key public health issues at the borderissues at the border

Roles of the BHCRoles of the BHC

Promote social and community participationPromote social and community participation

Act as a catalyst for needed changeAct as a catalyst for needed change

Increase resources for the border Increase resources for the border

Encourage self-responsibility for healthEncourage self-responsibility for health

Institutionalize domestic focusInstitutionalize domestic focus

BHC Composition and StructureBHC Composition and Structure

Two nationsTwo nations Ten border states (six MTen border states (six Mexican States, exican States,

four U.S. States)four U.S. States) United States and MUnited States and Mééxico Sections—xico Sections—

12 Members each12 Members each Led by two CommissionersLed by two Commissioners

BHC AccomplishmentsBHC Accomplishments

Commission Outreach Offices (OROs)Commission Outreach Offices (OROs)

Accomplishments of the individual OROs are provided in the Thirteenth Annual Meeting Briefing Binder.

Border Binational Health Border Binational Health Week (BBHW) 2005Week (BBHW) 2005 Purpose- weeklong series of events to Purpose- weeklong series of events to

bring awareness to health needs along the bring awareness to health needs along the borderborder

Update- 2005 BBHW focused on Update- 2005 BBHW focused on “Families in Action for Health,” and “Families in Action for Health,” and helped to provide health awareness to helped to provide health awareness to people along the borderpeople along the border

Contact: Ernesto Ramirez, Mexico Section and Christopher Hickey, Ph.D., OGHAContact: Ernesto Ramirez, Mexico Section and Christopher Hickey, Ph.D., OGHA

Border Governors ConferenceBorder Governors Conference

Annual conferences include governors Annual conferences include governors from all ten border states, ongoing work from all ten border states, ongoing work tablestables

Update- 24Update- 24thth annual conference (August annual conference (August 2006, Austin) will focus on public health 2006, Austin) will focus on public health emergency preparedness and pandemic emergency preparedness and pandemic influenza preparednessinfluenza preparedness

Border Health Risk Factor Border Health Risk Factor SurveillanceSurveillance Purpose- a surveillance system to monitor Purpose- a surveillance system to monitor

risk factors for chronic diseaserisk factors for chronic disease Update- in January, the binational Update- in January, the binational

technical team met and recommended technical team met and recommended improvements to survey data collection improvements to survey data collection methodologymethodology

Contact: Carmen Sanchez-Vargas, HHS/CDC Liaison to the BHCContact: Carmen Sanchez-Vargas, HHS/CDC Liaison to the BHC

Binational Border Health Binational Border Health Information PlatformInformation Platform

Purpose- Web-based border health data Purpose- Web-based border health data system for researchers and policymakerssystem for researchers and policymakers

Update- Ongoing binational collaboration Update- Ongoing binational collaboration to complete project later this year in to complete project later this year in October, 2006. October, 2006.

Contact: Dr. Rafael Lozano Ascencio, Mexican Secretariat of Health, and Dr. Sam Contact: Dr. Rafael Lozano Ascencio, Mexican Secretariat of Health, and Dr. Sam

Notzon, National Center for Health Statistics, CDC/HHSNotzon, National Center for Health Statistics, CDC/HHS

Border Infectious Disease Border Infectious Disease Surveillance (BIDS)Surveillance (BIDS) Purpose- BIDS program funds binational disease Purpose- BIDS program funds binational disease

surveillance infrastructure and has developed surveillance infrastructure and has developed channels of communication that serve as a channels of communication that serve as a framework for future efforts in disease framework for future efforts in disease surveillance, preparedness and response.surveillance, preparedness and response.

Update- convened 5Update- convened 5thth Annual Meeting, Annual Meeting, developed English/Spanish laboratory and developed English/Spanish laboratory and epidemiology manuals, and provided diagnostic epidemiology manuals, and provided diagnostic kits and supplieskits and supplies

Contact: Hector Martinez, Mexican SectionContact: Hector Martinez, Mexican Section

Early Warning Infectious Early Warning Infectious Disease Surveillance (EWIDS)Disease Surveillance (EWIDS)

Purpose- the EWIDS Project will improve cross-Purpose- the EWIDS Project will improve cross-border activities in early detection, identification, and border activities in early detection, identification, and reporting of infectious diseases associated with reporting of infectious diseases associated with potential bio-terror agents or other major threats to potential bio-terror agents or other major threats to public health. public health.

Update- on March 9, 2006, the U.S. Department of Update- on March 9, 2006, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released $5 million to Health and Human Services released $5 million to U.S.-MU.S.-Mééxico Science Foundation (FUMEC), who will xico Science Foundation (FUMEC), who will administer funds to six Mexican border states and the administer funds to six Mexican border states and the SSASSA

Contact: Hector Martinez, Mexican Section, and Christopher Hickey, OGHAContact: Hector Martinez, Mexican Section, and Christopher Hickey, OGHA

Binational Public Health Binational Public Health Research ForumResearch Forum Purpose- to convene a meeting between Purpose- to convene a meeting between

researchers and policymakers along the researchers and policymakers along the border to identify health research border to identify health research priorities.priorities.

Status- Scheduled for October 2006Status- Scheduled for October 2006

Contact: Dra. Dora Elia CortContact: Dra. Dora Elia Cortés Hernández and Hector Martinezés Hernández and Hector Martinez

Lead (Pb) Issues Along the Lead (Pb) Issues Along the BorderBorder Purpose- a meeting was convened to Purpose- a meeting was convened to

discuss the issue of lead (Pb) in candy and discuss the issue of lead (Pb) in candy and other non-paint sourcesother non-paint sources

Update- the meeting took place on Jan. Update- the meeting took place on Jan. 26-27, 2006. U.S. border state officials, 26-27, 2006. U.S. border state officials, U.S. federal officials, and BHC México U.S. federal officials, and BHC México Section Executive Secretary participated. Section Executive Secretary participated.

Contact: Dan Reyna, U.S. Section Contact: Dan Reyna, U.S. Section

Multi-Drug Resistant Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (TB) EffortsTuberculosis (TB) Efforts Purpose- To ensure effective transportation of Purpose- To ensure effective transportation of

Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) drugs across the U.S.-México borderdrugs across the U.S.-México border

Update- The Commission coordinated a call with Update- The Commission coordinated a call with the Texas Department of State Health Services, the Texas Department of State Health Services, PAHO, Mexican National TB Program that PAHO, Mexican National TB Program that helped stakeholders to agree on strategies for helped stakeholders to agree on strategies for consistent cross-border transport of TB consistent cross-border transport of TB medicationsmedications

Contact: R.J. Dutton, Ph.D. Texas Department of State Health ServicesContact: R.J. Dutton, Ph.D. Texas Department of State Health Services

Ventanillas de SaludVentanillas de Salud

Purpose- Stations within the Mexican Consulates Purpose- Stations within the Mexican Consulates to help direct the population at risk to to help direct the population at risk to appropriate health servicesappropriate health services

Status- Two Status- Two Ventanillas de SaludVentanillas de Salud were opened were opened in 2006. They are Tucson, Arizona and in 2006. They are Tucson, Arizona and McAllen, Texas. Another one is expected to McAllen, Texas. Another one is expected to open later this year in El Paso, Texasopen later this year in El Paso, Texas

Contact: Paola Pliego, Mexican SectionContact: Paola Pliego, Mexican Section

National Infant Immunization National Infant Immunization Week/Vaccination Week in the Week/Vaccination Week in the AmericasAmericas Purpose- an annual observance to promote Purpose- an annual observance to promote

immunizationimmunization Status- There will be borderwide events, Status- There will be borderwide events,

particularly in the State of Arizona, during particularly in the State of Arizona, during the week of April 22-29 to promote the the week of April 22-29 to promote the importance of immunization. importance of immunization.

Contact: Carmen Sanchez-Vargas, HHS/CDC Liaison to the BHCContact: Carmen Sanchez-Vargas, HHS/CDC Liaison to the BHC