Pan American Health Organization Meeting
The Pan American Health Organization had its annual Washington meeting last week. We used the occasion to sign the Memorandum of Understanding on the regional training center the United States is helping with in Panama. The need for skilled medical workers is acute all over the world. The health ministers from Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Guatemala joined in signing with the United States. Nicaragua is also participating but will sign the MOU later.
Camilo Alleyne resigned as Health Minister of Panama a couple of weeks ago. However, he was honored at PAHO and I had a chance to see him. It should be acknowledged that the regional training center vision was originally advanced by him. I quickly saw its value and pledged U.S. support as have all the health ministers and Presidents in Central America.
I met with Minister Turner, the new Minister of Health in Panama. She has pledged her continued support and signed the MOU on behalf of Panama.
Regional training of skilled workers has great potential in other areas of the world. We are exploring a joint effort with the Brazilians in Africa.
Dr. Margaret Chan the Director General of the World Health Organization was in town for PAHO. We had a couple of meetings during which most of our time was spent discussing HIV/AIDS, malaria and pandemic influenza. Her natural and comfortable candor makes her an effective leader of WHO. That job requires a person who can be straight with people in a calm and even-handed way. Margaret Chan is good natured, but very direct. We have been friends for a couple of years now. We visited five countries in South East Asia together when she was leading WHO efforts on pandemic influenza (H5N1).
To learn more about Region Health Care Training Centers, visit www.globalhealth.gov
Posted on October 10, 2007 in Health Diplomacy
, Pandemic Influenza
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Thank you for choosing Costa Rica. I came to this place and I am pretty quite sure that Costa Rica has one of the best health systems in Latin America.
Posted by: Costa Rica Real Estate Jack | March 17, 2008 at 02:34 PM