PAHO News -- October 3, 2002

PAHO News is also available on the Web!
http://www.csih.org/synergy/synergy.html

In this issue:
-INCOMING PAHO DIRECTOR, DR. MIRTA ROSES: WE ALL GAIN BY HELPING THE
LEAST FORTUNATE
-CONCLUSION OF PAHO HEALTH MINISTERS SUMMIT
-DISASTER CHRONICLES: EARTHQUAKES IN EL SALVADOR
-MORE RESOURCES NEEDED TO VACCINATE CHILDREN
-PAHO REPORT: AMERICAS FACE CHALLENGE OF AGING POPULATIONS
-JOB OPPORTUNITY: TECHNICAL COORDINATOR, PRIORITY COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
PROJECT
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INCOMING PAHO DIRECTOR, DR. MIRTA ROSES: WE ALL GAIN BY HELPING THE
LEAST FORTUNATE

To achieve health for all, we must focus on the health of the neediest.
That was the message from Dr. Mirta Roses in her acceptance speech
following her election as Director of PAHO - a position that she will
assume February 1, 2003.  The rest of her comments are available in
Spanish, at: http://www.paho.org/Spanish/AD/DiscursoAceptacion-DOPS.htm.

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CONCLUSION OF PAHO HEALTH MINISTERS SUMMIT

During the 26th Pan American Sanitary Conference, major reports were
presented to health ministers for discussion.  These included: Health in
the Americas, Public Health in the Americas, and a quadrennial report,
Charting a Future for Health in the Americas.  Health ministers also
considered urgent health topics for the Region and created a special
fund to reduce maternal mortality in the Americas. Another priority
topic was the AIDS epidemic in the Americas (2.8 million people now live
with HIV/AIDS); the Ministers urged exploration of new ways to continue
to reduce the price of antiretroviral drugs.  The Conference concluded
with the election of Dr. Mirta Roses Periago as the next head of PAHO.
For more information on Conference activities, visit:
http://www.paho.org/English/DPI/pr020927.htm.
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DISASTER CHRONICLES: EARTHQUAKES IN EL SALVADOR

PAHO/WHO has just published the latest in its “Disaster Chronicles”
series.  This newest publication analyzes the events surrounding the
2001 earthquakes in El Salvador.  Readers will find answers to questions
that arise in the aftermath of many disasters: Was the health sector
adequately prepared?  How was the response organized?  What were the
primary difficulties related to mounting health sector operations? What
procedures and actions could be improved in future operations? What
lessons were learned from these catastrophic events? If demand warrants,
PAHO/WHO may translate and publish an English-language version of the
report.  In the meantime, those interested can read and/or download a
full text copy of the Spanish-language version on PAHO’s web site at:
http://www.paho.org/spanish/ped/ELS_2001.htm.
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MORE RESOURCES NEEDED TO VACCINATE CHILDREN

The struggle to vaccinate as many children as possible in the Americas
has been one of the priorities of the Pan American Health Organization
(PAHO) since its creation. The new goal set at the 26th Pan American
Sanitary Conference, a meeting of health ministers from all American
countries, calls for countries to allocate enough resources to reach
vaccination coverage of 95 percent of children everywhere. Another
priority is the incorporation of new vaccines or combinations in routine
vaccination schedules, and incorporation of quality vaccines, especially
those for respiratory and diarrheal diseases. The objective is equity in
immunization in the entire continent.  For the full article, visit:
http://www.paho.org/English/DPI/100/100feature38.htm.
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PAHO REPORT: AMERICAS FACE CHALLENGE OF AGING POPULATIONS

With people in the Americas living longer and having fewer children,
countries in the region will have to be ready to meet a new health
challenge — aging.  The PAHO quadrennial report, "Health in the
Americas, 2002," notes that medical advances and preventive health
measures have meant significant progress against communicable diseases,
once the main health threat in many countries in the region. With
elderly people living longer, chronic diseases and external causes have
edged out communicable diseases as the main causes of death. Caring for
an older population will mean more than a shift in the kinds of health
problems being treated: a critical component is ensuring that they have
access to health care in the first place. Older adults, along with
adolescents and people living in isolated areas, are more likely to lack
permanent access to the health care, according to PAHO. For more
information, visit: http://www.paho.org/English/DPI/pr020923a.htm.
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JOB OPPORTUNITY: TECHNICAL COORDINATOR, PRIORITY COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
PROJECT

A Technical Coordinator is needed for the Priority Communicable Diseases
Project in South America, funded by the Canadian International
Development Agency (CIDA).  This five-year project involves five
components (Chagas, tuberculosis, dengue, HIV/STI and AIEPI) in five
South American countries.  The coordinator will assist countries in the
formulation, implementation and management of projects within national
control programs, and must be able to exercise judgment in order to
mobilize appropriate technical resources when necessary.  The incumbent
will conduct and participate in site visits, both for detailed planning
of activities and tasks, and to supervise the implementation of the
project as a whole.

Among other responsibilities, the coordinator will act as a liaison,
actively looking for ways to incorporate Canadian expertise for project
implementation and collaborative execution of its activities in the
Region.  At minimum, candidates must have seven years of national and
two years of international experience in public health project
development, monitoring and evaluation, and the design, review,
implementation and evaluation of health projects.  The deadline for
application is November 15, 2002.  For additional information, contact
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