PAHO News -- September 19, 2002

In this issue:
-VIOLENCE: A GROWING PROBLEM FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
-PAHO WORKS WITH FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS ON CHILD HEALTH
-MORTALITY IN BOLIVIA
-THE GLOBAL YOUTH TOBACCO SURVEY: RESULTS IN THE AMERICAS
-MEET PAHO'S DIRECTORS!
-PAHO HEADQUARTERS OBSERVES MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR SEPTEMBER 11
-PAHO PHOTO GALLERY
-WHO EUROPE REPORT LINKS POVERTY TO WIDENING GAPS IN HEALTH
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VIOLENCE: A GROWING PROBLEM FOR PUBLIC HEALTH

Every year millions of people worldwide die violently and many more
remain disabled for the rest of their lives. Interpersonal violence is
the third cause of death among people between 15 and 44 years old;
suicide is the fourth and war is the sixth. Violence has become endemic
because of the number of victims and the effects it produces.  It is a
serious health problem in several countries. In addition to the direct
effects of wounds and death, violence carries with it a huge number of
related health problems: serious repercussions on mental health,
sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies, and behavioral
problems such as sleep or appetite disorders. Although statistics seem
to leave little hope, PAHO is working on prevention as a means to stop
violence in the Americas, with a comprehensive approach that includes
all sectors of society.  For the full feature article, visit:
http://www.paho.org/English/DPI/100/100feature36.htm.
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PAHO WORKS WITH FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS ON CHILD HEALTH

PAHO will work with faith-based organizations to strengthen its
Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) Strategy in Central
America and the Caribbean.  The aim of the three-year program is to
build the capacity of local Catholic-based health care networks in the
three components of IMCI strategy: the provision of essential drugs; the
strengthening of country activities for Prevention of Mother-to-Child
Transmission of HIV/AIDs; and, the leveraging of the vast network of
faith-based organizations in support of primary health-care efforts. For
more information on the program, visit:
http://www.paho.org/English/HCP/HCT/IMCI/cmmb.htm.
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MORTALITY IN BOLIVIA

A study on mortality in Bolivia has been conducted as part of technical
cooperation between PAHO and the Bolivian Ministry of Health. PAHO is
helping Bolivia to strengthen information systems, epidemiological
surveillance, and health situation analysis. The study covered the years
2000-2001 and data collected offers an interesting contrast to that
resulting from a 1990-1995 study. For more information on the study,
visit: http://www.paho.org/English/SHA/be_v23n2-bolivia.htm.
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THE GLOBAL YOUTH TOBACCO SURVEY: RESULTS IN THE AMERICAS

The Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) was developed by the Tobacco Free
Initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with
the Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) of the United States’ Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). PAHO has assisted in the survey’s
application in Latin America and the English-speaking Caribbean. The
objective of the survey was to measure:  prevalence of tobacco use;
exposure to environmental tobacco smoke; knowledge and attitudes; and
factors that make youth susceptible to tobacco use. From 1999-2001,
information was gathered from 23 countries. For highlights of the
survey, visit: http://www.paho.org/English/SHA/be_v23n2-GYTS.htm.
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MEET PAHO'S DIRECTORS!

Over its first 100 years, PAHO has had eight directors.  These directors
were: Dr. Walter Wyman, Dr. Rupert Blue, Dr. Hugh Cumming, Dr. Fred
Soper, Dr. Abraham Horwitz, Dr. Hector Acuna, Dr. Carlyle Guerra de
Macedo, and Dr. George Alleyne.  Learn more about these leaders online!
Biographies and photographs of the directors are now available on the
PAHO Centennial page:
http://www.paho.org/English/DPI/100/directors00.htm.
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PAHO HEADQUARTERS OBSERVES MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR SEPTEMBER 11

Staff at PAHO Headquarters observed a moment of silence on September 11.
All flags of member countries flew at half-staff to commemorate the
terrorist attacks one year before. In his comments, Dr. George Alleyne,
Director of PAHO, said: "Terrorism is a new disease, the treatment for
which is eternal vigilance, a disease for which no vaccine or drug
exists except the confidence and the good will of men and women." For
further details, see the press release at:
http://www.paho.org/English/DPI/pr020910.htm.
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PAHO PHOTO GALLERY

For a sample of the photographs available through PAHO's Public
Information Office, visit:
http://www.paho.org/Project.asp?SEL=PR&LNG=ENG&CD=photos&U=DPI.
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WHO EUROPE REPORT LINKS POVERTY TO WIDENING GAPS IN HEALTH

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office in Europe has
released a report that confirms the strong links between socioeconomic
development, health and equity.  The report analyses a decade of
evidence on health in the Region of 51 WHO Member States and 870 million
people. While overall levels of health are among the highest in the
world, the report describes widening gaps between and within countries
of the region. The report builds on the idea that health policies cannot
be isolated from other policy sectors.  For more information on the
report, visit:
http://www.euro.who.int/eprise/main/WHO/MediaCentre/PR/2002/20020916_1.
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