PAHO News -- February 13, 2003

In this issue:
-PAHO TODAY SPECIAL EDITION: INAUGURATION OF DR MIRTA ROSES PERIAGO
AS PAHO DIRECTOR
-GRANTS OFFERED FOR RESEARCH ON SOCIAL PROTECTION IN HEALTH
-PRICES OF AIDS DRUGS IN CENTRAL AMERICA CUT BY MORE THAN HALF
-TRAFFIC INJURIES, ROAD SAFETY AND HEALTH
-WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S 2003 JOURNALISM FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
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PAHO TODAY SPECIAL EDITION: INAUGURATION OF DR MIRTA ROSES PERIAGO
AS PAHO DIRECTOR

A special edition of PAHO Today, PAHO's newsletter, covers the
inauguration of Dr Mirta Roses Periago as PAHO Director. In her
inaugural address, Roses confirmed her commitment to work with the
countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and to intensify contacts
with communities and projects on the ground. She also said she would
give "special attention to containing the AIDS epidemic, with emphasis
on the countries of the Caribbean."  The special edition of the
newsletter is available online at:
http://www.paho.org/English/DPI/pahotoday_inauguration.htm.
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GRANTS OFFERED FOR RESEARCH ON SOCIAL PROTECTION IN HEALTH

To generate knowledge on strategies to improve social protection in
health and to spark interaction between research and policymakers on
this topic, PAHO and Canada's International Development Research Centre
(IDRC) are inviting institutions and research groups to submit proposals
to the project "Research Planning Grants on Strategies to Extend Social
Protection in Health." This Request for Proposals (RFP) includes
research that focuses on strategies to reduce the exclusion from social
protection in health. Research may examine causes and magnitude of the
problem only in so far as it informs the design of a response. The focus
is, therefore, on planning and evaluating responses to the problem of
exclusion in health. This RFP focuses on the first phase of this
project, and will provide eight planning grants, two in each one of the
sub-regions of Latin America and The Caribbean. The deadline for
submissions is March 15, 2003. For more information, visit:
http://www.paho.org/English/HSP/HSO/HSO03/abst-rfp-ops-idrc-eng.htm.
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PRICES OF AIDS DRUGS IN CENTRAL AMERICA CUT BY MORE THAN HALF

Negotiations carried out by the governments of Central America with five
pharmaceutical companies have led to a historic reduction in the prices
of antiretrovirals, the drugs used against HIV/AIDS. The most common
treatment in the region, composed of the drugs AZT, 3TC, and EFV, will
now cost between US$ 1,035 and US$ 1,454 per year, according to Pan
American Health Organization experts. The price cut, representing an
average reduction of 55 percent from current prices in Central America
for brand name antiretrovirals, was based on the "Accelerated Access
Initiative", a mechanism created by countries, pharmaceutical companies,
and United Nations agencies to improve care of people with HIV/AIDS. The
Panama negotiation was coordinated by the Central American Secretary of
Social Integration, with technical support from PAHO. For the full press
release, visit: http://www.paho.org/English/DPI/pr030203.htm.
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TRAFFIC INJURIES, ROAD SAFETY AND HEALTH

In 2000, over 1.2 million people were killed due to road traffic
incidents, making it the world’s ninth leading cause of death. By the
year 2020 this figure is projected to nearly double. In addition to the
staggering death rates, injuries due to road traffic crashes are a major
drain on health and health care system resources. Data show that in some
countries, one of every 10 hospital beds is occupied by a victim of a
road traffic crash. Although car ownership is greater in industrialized
than developing countries, studies show that in 2000, 90% of all traffic
fatalities occurred in low- and middle- income societies. The majority
of the victims of these incidents were people who will never be able to
afford a car: pedestrians, cyclists and users of public transportation.
Leaders from around the world will meet in London this week in a joint
effort to improve road safety and reduce road traffic related deaths.
Among them, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of the World Health
Organization (WHO), Max Mosley, President of the Federation
Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), and ministers from several
countries.  For more information, visit:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/releases/2003/pr11/en/.
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WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S 2003 JOURNALISM FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

The goal of the WHO Journalism Fellowship Program is to provide
reporters with an understanding of the forces shaping global public
health. During the program, WHO Fellows attend daily briefings on a
range of international public health issues. Fellows have the freedom to
pursue their own special interests by attending meetings, lectures and
seminars, by interviewing technical experts, and by using WHO's
extensive research resources. In the field, WHO fellows study one public
health issue, important to their home audience, in a different cultural
and political context. Candidates must have a minimum of five years
experience in medical, health or foreign affairs reporting in print or
electronic media. One applicant will be selected from each of seven
regions of the world. Selections will be made by an independent board of
senior journalists. This year’s fellowship program will be held in
October and conducted in English. An application form can be found on
WHO's website at www.who.int. The deadline for applications is April 30,
2003.
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