PAHO News -- April 3, 2003

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

In this issue:
-WORLD HEALTH DAY, APRIL 7: HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN
-10th CANADIAN CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL HEALTH: APRIL 30 IS THE
DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSION!
-PAHO DIRECTOR DR. MIRTA ROSES OUTLINES POLICY
-PAHO'S PLANNING SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING
-PAHO WEBPAGE ON SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME (SARS)
-NEW STUDY SHOWS ENORMOUS BURDEN OF DIABETES
-CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: 2003 ABRAHAM HOROWITZ AWARD FOR INTER-AMERICAN
HEALTH
-CREATING TOOLS TO REDUCE INEQUITIES
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WORLD HEALTH DAY, APRIL 7: HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has designated the week of
April 7 to April 14 as "Health in the Americas Week," focusing on the
environment and children. Starting on World Health Day April 7, a series
of events are being organized in Washington and in regional countries,
culminating on the "Day of the Americas", April 14. A child's world
centers on the home, school and the local community. These should be
healthy places where children can thrive, protected from disease. But
particularly in the developing world, these places are often unhealthy
and cause many deaths and a huge burden of disease among children. More
than 5 million children under age 14 die every year from diseases linked
to the environments in which they live, learn and play. Degraded
environments are the breeding ground for germs, worms and
disease-carrying insects. Many environmental threats to children's
health are aggravated by poverty, conflicts, natural and man-made
disasters, and social inequity. The children most affected live in the
developing world, but many children in developed countries are also at
risk. Children who are chronically sick or disabled cannot regularly
attend school, and their social and intellectual development suffers. In
turn, this huge burden of ill health among children constrains social
and economic development. Children with chronic disease and long-term
disability cannot grow up to be healthy and fully productive. But the
suffering of children because of environmental hazards is not
inevitable. There are solutions; most environment-related disease and
deaths can be prevented. Many tools and strategies can protect children
from the dangers lurking in their environments.  Visit the PAHO World
Health Day page for more information:
http://www.paho.org/English/DPI/whd03_main.htm.
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10th CANADIAN CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL HEALTH: APRIL 30 IS THE
DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSION!

The deadline for submitting abstracts for the 10th Canadian Conference
on International Health is April 30! The theme for this year's
conference is: "The Right to Health: Influencing the Global Agenda.  How
Research, Advocacy and Action can shape our future."  For more
information or to download a copy of the Call for Abstracts, visit the
conference website: http://www.csih.org/what/conferences2003.html
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PAHO DIRECTOR DR. MIRTA ROSES OUTLINES POLICY

The Pan American Health Organization's new director, Dr. Mirta Roses,
outlined new policy orientations, public health challenges, and a
planned reorganization to meet long-term strategic objectives to
ministers of health attending a planning body meeting in Washington last
week. Roses cited some of the challenges for development in the
Americas, including high social vulnerability, inadequate governance,
outdated political and administrative structures, and difficulty in
adapting to globalization. The Americas, she said, is a hemisphere that
is growing, aging and becoming more urban, with significant inequalities
in the health situation, deterioration of living conditions, and
worsening poverty. For the full press release, visit:
http://www.paho.org/English/DD/PIN/pr030327.htm
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PAHO'S PLANNING SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING

The Pan American Health Organization's main planning subcommittee, one
of the Organization's governing bodies, held a meeting in Washington to
discuss a series of important public health topics, ranging from
globalization and health to obesity to preparations for an influenza
pandemic.  The Subcommittee on Planning and Programming includes members
representing Canada, Cuba, Dominica, El Salvador, Honduras, Peru, the
United States, and Uruguay. For the full press release, visit:
http://www.paho.org/English/DD/PIN/pr030326.htm.
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PAHO WEBPAGE ON SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME (SARS)

PAHO has created a webpage with up-to-date information on Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Outbreaks of SARS, an atypical pneumonia of
unknown etiology, have been reported since February 2003 in 13 countries
over 3 continents. As of 31 March, 1622 suspected and probable cases of
SARS (including 58 deaths) have been reported to WHO. Local transmission
of SARS has been confirmed in Canada, Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region of China (Hong Kong SAR), Singapore, Taiwan (China) and Viet Nam.
This information is preliminary and subject to later qualification
because of the broad and non-specific case definition. Visit the webpage
at: http://www.paho.org/English/HCP/HCT/EER/sars.htm
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NEW STUDY SHOWS ENORMOUS BURDEN OF DIABETES

Diabetes is one of the most serious problems in Latin America and the
Caribbean, both in terms of public health and economic burden, according
to a new study by experts from the Pan American Health Organization
(PAHO) and the Alberto Hurtado University of Chile. Every year, more
than 330,000 people die in the region of the Americas due to causes
related to diabetes. Estimates indicate that permanent disability
resulting from the disease causes expenditures of above $50 billion per
year. Related temporary disabilities result in another $700 million in
costs.  For more information on the study, visit:
http://www.paho.org/English/DD/PIN/pr030328.htm
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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: 2003 ABRAHAM HOROWITZ AWARD FOR INTER-AMERICAN
HEALTH

PAHO is requesting nominations for the 2003 Abraham Horowitz Award for
Inter-American Health.  This award recognizes leadership and excellence
in individuals whose public health achievements have resulted in major
improvements to the lives of the peoples of the Americas.  Nominees may
be individuals or groups whose scientific or pedagogic achievement, in
any field of inter-American health, is consistent with the award's
intention to stimulate excellence and recognize work in the region.
Candidates may be active in their careers, active though in formal
retirement, or retired having demonstrated an outstanding lifetime
career.  The deadline for submission of nominations is May 30, 2003. For
further information, visit:
http://www.paho.org/English/PAHEF/horwitz.htm
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CREATING TOOLS TO REDUCE INEQUITIES

How do factors such as gender, ethnicity, social class, race, and
geography influence a person’s health and general well-being? This
question, as well as how to scientifically measure and explain gaps in
opportunities to enjoy good health, are the focus of a special issue of
the Pan American Journal of Public Health. For more information on the
issue, visit: http://publications.paho.org/english/news.cfm?ID=81.
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