Strengthening Collaboration

and Sharing Experiences on the U.S. Mexico

Border

Maria Teresa Cerqueira, BS, MS, PhDAffiliate Session

Monday, November 4, 2013APHA Annual Meeting

Boston Convention Center

Presenter DisclosuresMaria Teresa Cerqueira

The following personal financial relationships with commercial interests relevant to this presentation existed during the past 12

months:

No relationships to disclose

A Little History

1902 – to present: The Pan American Sanitary Bureau, the oldest health organization still functioning

1942 – 2013: The PAHO/WHO U.S. Mexico Border Office

1943 – 2010: U.S. Mexico Border Health Association, with 16 Binational Health Councils (COBINAS)

1948 – to present: The World Health Organization, and the Pan American Health Organization became the Regional Office for the Americas

2000 – to present: Border Environmental

Purpose of the MOU

PAHO/WHO, APHA, and SMSP through the present MOU, agree to enter into this agreement to collaborate on joint initiatives to improve the health and well-being of the people who live along the US-Mexico Border. 

The purpose of this MOU is to establish the general terms and conditions pursuant to which PAHO/WHO, APHA, and SMSP will work together to collaborate on joint initiatives.  

Areas of Cooperation

To accomplish this purpose, the parties will share information, technical expertise, and undertake such activities, agreed to by the parties, which may support the shared missions of these organizations. The parties will develop the following activities:

Terms of Reference

1. Form a working group to develop a proposal for the creation of a public health organization for the U.S. Mexico Border.

2. Collaborate in preparing proposals to mobilize resources.

3. Encourage participation with the border states associations.

Terms of Reference

5. Collaborate in the organization of border health events, intellectual exchanges, technical and scientific meetings, and other means

6. Collaborate in developing a proposal for periodic and continual border exchange mechanisms of communication and dissemination vehicles (such as newsletters, web page, and other media).

7. Disseminate information about border health events among the members of PAHO, APHA and SMPS.

Terms of Reference

8. Include border health issues and news in events and dissemination materials of each of the organizations (APHA, PAHO, SMSP).

9. Contribute to strengthening border state associations and societies.

Commitments of PAHO/WHO, APHA and SMSP

PAHO/WHO, in accordance with its rules and regulations and subject to the availability of resources, will provide technical cooperation through its facilities as needed.

APHA will provide assistance in accordance with its principles and philosophy, subject to the availability of resources and in harmony with its strategic priorities through its facilities and specialized expert services.

SMSP will provide assistance in accordance with its principles and philosophy, subject to the availability of resources and in harmony with its strategic priorities through its facilities and specialized expert services.

Progress Finalized and disseminated the report of the

discussion group carried out on September 7th.  Prepare an MOU and circulate for all parties to agree

on next steps  The MOU was signed by all three parties Organize a working group to begin the business plan

for the association, and mobilize resources for the working group meetings and activities

Support exchange of experiences among the border affiliate associations – societies

Next Steps Identify and contact the border affiliate associations in all

ten states: Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Chihuahua, Sonora

and Baja California Carry out a process of consultation with stakeholders to

understand their needs the needs perceived by the public health community and gather their recommendations as to what they want in a new association and what they would not want.

Organize personal and virtual meetings of the working group

THANK YOU

mtcqueira@aol.com