[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 139 (Tuesday, October 16, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1895]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IMPORTANCE OF BINATIONAL HEALTH WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 16, 2001

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I come before the House today to 
highlight the importance of Binational Health Week, BHW, as proclaimed 
by the Fresno California County Board of Supervisors. Binational Health 
Week takes place this week, October 12-19, and it marks the beginning 
of the California-Mexico Health Initiative (CMHI) action plan. The CMHI 
is a cooperative working group between a number of local organizations 
in the Central Valley, and it works as a cultural bridge between 
migrants' health needs and available health care services in selected 
Mexican states as well as selected regions of California.
  The Binational Health Week promotes and reinforces healthy behavior 
among migrant families. It will reinforce California's vaccination 
campaigns by specifically targeting migrant families, and reinforce 
Mexican vaccination efforts. BHW will promote flu vaccination among 
high-risk migrant adults and provide migrant families with information 
on health resources and services available in selected counties in 
California. Finally, healthcare providers will be given an updated 
directory containing information on migrant health resources in 
California and Mexico and disseminate current research on migrant 
health issues by promoting bilateral collaboration among researchers, 
health care providers and administrators to address service gaps and 
unmet needs.
  This first Binational Health Week in California is conceived as a 
demonstration project to improve health care for migrants and will 
serve as the basis for future bilateral efforts. I certainly extend my 
support for Binational Health Week in California and urge members to 
become familiar of the cutting edge bilateral working group, the 
California-Mexico Health Initiative.

                          ____________________