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PAHO NEWS:  Press Releases, Job Vacancies, and Other
Information from the Pan American Health Organization
(PAHO) via the Canadian Society for International Health
(CSIH) http://www.csih.org; Technical Representative in
Canada for PAHO
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PAHO Commits Funds to Bahamas for Help After Floyd
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The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is working with the
Bahamas Ministry of Health in preliminary damage assessments and
recovery, after Hurricane Floyd lashed the islands of the Bahamas
with sustained winds of 145 mph (230 km/hr.)  The Director of
PAHO, Dr. George Alleyne, committed US$35,000 of the
Organization's resources to meet emergency health needs.

The first assessment, just conducted by the Ministry of Health,
PAHO and the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, showed
that the island of Abaco was the most affected, with more than
2,000 persons losing their homes. Dundas town in Abaco is also
badly damaged (30%); Murphy town to a lesser degree. There is no
electricity available and no potable water because the water
system has been contaminated by salt water. One major clinic and
one satellite clinic also suffered roof damage. In Eleuthera
about a quarter of the houses on the island were damaged, along
with other structures, and the water system. Four clinics had
roof damage and drugs and vaccine stocks were lost. On Cat
Island, two clinics lost their roofs and all their drug supplies.
Assessments are still being done on San Salvador and Long island.

As a result of the disruption in electrical supply immediate
concerns centered on the water supply system, the maintenance of
the cold chain for immunizations, and control of mosquitoes and
other disease vectors, said Dr. Claude de Ville, Chief of
Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief Coordination for PAHO.
Epidemiological surveillance needs to be established, especially
in Abaco where imported malaria cases have been reported.

The Ministry of Health and the Department of Environmental
Health, with PAHO's assistance, are carrying out an in-depth
public health assessment. Immediate priorities to prevent any
post-disaster public health problem are: Equipment and
insecticides to control mosquitoes and other transmitters of
disease; Water purification including water testing and chlorine
tablets; generators for cold chain for immunization; emergency
repairs to 8 clinics, estimated at $155,000, and deployment of
experts in supply management and relief.

With the measures currently being implemented by the health
authorities with the support of the international community , no
outbreaks of disease are expected as a consequence of the
hurricane, Dr. de Ville said. The PAHO office in the Bahamas
continues to assist the Government, with the direct support of
PAHO's Disaster Preparedness Team, under the guidance of a PAHO
disaster advisor from Barbados and with the support of Health
Services experts. This team is being strengthened today by two
sanitary engineers who are being mobilized from PAHO offices in
Suriname and Jamaica. In addition, he said, SUMA specialists from
Jamaica and Barbados are being mobilized with the necessary
equipment from Barbados to implement the supply management
system.

PAHO, which also serves as the Regional Office for the Americas
of the World Health Organization, works with all the countries of
the Americas to improve the health and raise the living standards
of their peoples.

For further information contact: Daniel Epstein, tel (202) 974-
3459, fax (202) 974-3143, PAHO Office of Public Information
[log in to unmask] http://www.paho.org

Visit PAHO's web site for a situation report and press release on
health sector disaster response activities in the Bahamas
following hurricane Floyd:
http://www.paho.org/english/ped/floyd.htm

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Puerto Rico Elected President of PAHO's Directing Council
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Dr. Carmen Feliciano de Melecio, Secretary of Health Of Puerto
Rico, was elected President of the Pan American Health
Organization's 41st Directing Council. Canada and Trinidad and
Tobago were elected vice presidents and Mexico rapporteur by the
health ministers of the Americas, who are meeting here Sept. 27
to Oct. 1 to discuss a variety of public health policy issues.

Dr. George A.O. Alleyne, Director of PAHO, opened the meeting by
extending his sympathies to the United States and the Bahamas
because of the damages suffered as a consequence of Hurricane
Floyd.  He noted that this was the first time in 21 years that
the Directing Council, which sets health policies for the
Americas, was held outside Washington.

Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of the World Health
Organization, told the Ministers, "on many fronts, the American
Region can stand as an example for hope and optimism," saying the
Americas have achieved impressive improvements in health over the
past few years.

The fact that the Americas have been polio-free for the last five
years and that measles may be eliminated in the region next year
is "a real inspiration" to other countries, she said. "Big or
small, rich or poor, together you have achieved remarkable
success.  An important reason for this has been the last decade's
renewed respect for human rights and popular democracy.  These
two basic institutions are crucial in improving health and
reducing poverty," she told the Ministers.

In his Annual Report presented to the Ministers, Dr. Alleyne
said, "Narrowing inequalities and making the goal of 'health for
all' a reality in the medium term represents a challenge for the
governments, WHO, PAHO, and other agencies that are active in the
health sector. The search for equity in health is a vital concern
for the Region of the Americas, particularly in Latin America and
the Caribbean, which display the most inequitable income
distribution in the world."

For PAHO, he said, "analyzing health inequities and setting
equitable policies hold special importance, in that these
activities are part of its mandate and they provide input for
setting priorities for technical cooperation. The improved health
situation, economic recovery, the strengthening of democracy and
civil society, and subregional integration initiatives are
evidence both of the Region's legitimate development aspirations
and of the vast human capital that can be tapped to successfully
tackle the root causes of health inequalities."

Among other topics slated for discussion at the meeting are:
Tobacco Control in the Americas, Emerging and reemerging
infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance, Disaster
Preparedness and Emergency Relief: PAHO's Response to Hurricanes
Georges and Mitch, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in
the Americas, Vaccines and Immunization, Integrated Management of
Childhood Illness, Persistent Organic Pollutants. Strengthening
Blood Banks in the Region of the Americas, Monitoring and
Evaluation of the Health Sector Reform Processes, Workers' Health
in the Americas, and the Year 2000 problem in the health sector
in the Americas.

The meeting serves to bring together the member nations of the
Organization, which includes all the Health Ministers from the
hemisphere, from Canada to the tip of South America, to solve
regional issues affecting the health of all the people.

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PAHO Vacancy Notices
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VACANCY NOTICE 99/PAHO/39 Post Title: Administrative Officer;
Level: P.2; Post Number: .5856; Issue Date: 24 August 1999;
Closing Date: 5 October 1999

Duty Station: El Paso, Texas; Tenure: Two years, first year
probationary; Division/Program/Office: Field Office, United
States-Mexico Border; (FO/USMB) Salary Information: Basic Salary:
$35,598 at single rate; Post Adjustment: $6,479 at single rate

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: Education: Bachelor's degree from an
accredited university in business, public administration, finance
or a related field.  An advanced degree in a managerial or
financial related discipline would be an asset. Experience: Three
years of professional experience at the national level in
administration, with supervisory responsibilities in budget,
finance, personnel, procurement and general services plus one
year at the international level, or five years experience in
managerial positions concerning administrative services of medium
to large organizations. Languages: Very good knowledge of English
and Spanish.

For more information, contact: Pan American Health Organization /
World Health Organization, 525 Twenty-Third Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20037 USA Fax (202) 974-3379; Vacancy Hotline:
(202) 974-3333 http://www.paho.org
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This document is available, with full formatting and
accents, at http://www.csih.org/paho_ndx.html