[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16479]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           TRIBUTE TO THE TENTH ANNUAL BINATIONAL HEALTH WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JOE BACA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 23, 2010

  Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I rise to salute the Tenth Annual Binational 
Health Week to take place next month. This program was first 
established in 2001 to facilitate discussion on the challenges and 
opportunities that face migrant Latino populations. The annual forum 
allows participant agencies and organizations to effectively strategize 
public health policies that benefit border populations by addressing 
issues pertaining to health care.
  Established as a partnership between the California-Mexico Health 
Initiative and the Mexican Ministry of Health and Foreign Affairs, 
Binational Health Week has become one of the largest mobilization 
efforts to improve the health and well being of underserved Hispanics 
in North America. Today, it is the product of relationships between 
multiple agencies and organizations that minister to immigrant 
population health issues.
  This tradition has become an annual festival of health promotion and 
education activities which include workshops and medical screenings. 
Last year, the Binational Health Week was kicked off in Santa Fe, New 
Mexico. Through the inaugural event forum, five national campaigns were 
implemented with the aim of increasing the Latino population's 
awareness of: H1N1 and Preparing for Public Health Emergencies, 
Prevention of Addictions, Nutrition, Stroke Awareness, and Living 
Green.
  In addition, to celebrate the Binational Health Week last year, an 
estimated 766,000 people participated in over 5,000 activities 
throughout the United States and Canada. Over 10,000 agencies, 140 
consulates and 17,000 volunteers participated in the organization of 
the 2009 week long events.
  This year, the inaugural forum will take place in Guanajuato, Mexico 
with the aim of exploring collaborative opportunities to improve the 
health and well-being of the cross-border migrant and immigrant 
population. Binational Health Week will be celebrated from October 4th 
through 15th in 40 states in the U.S. and 3 provinces in Canada. Also 
participating will be the consular networks of Mexico, Guatemala, El 
Salvador, Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
  During Binational Health Week, a national campaign will take place to 
create awareness among the underserved Latino community on the topics 
of prevention of addictions, gang involvement among adolescents, oral 
health, obesity, diabetes, disabilities, autism awareness, and access 
to existing health care. During the campaign a series of activities and 
health education programs will be conducted including informational 
workshops, free screenings, core exams, and vaccinations to the public.
  The expansion of Binational Health Week over the years has 
contributed to the main partnerships that have been formed between 
California's Department of Public Health, The California Endowment, The 
California HealthCare Foundation, the Health Initiative of the Americas 
at the University of California in Berkeley, the United States-Mexico 
Border Health Commission, the Secretariats of Health and Foreign 
Affairs of Mexico, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador, 
Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Colombia, the Institute for 
Mexicans Abroad, and the Mexican Social Security Institute.
  Madam Speaker, today I rise to congratulate Binational Health Week 
and its organizers, volunteers and participants for realizing this 
important initiative. Planning for the Tenth Annual Binational Health 
Week is already well under way in the Inland Empire. I encourage the 
residents in my district and around the country to observe and partake 
in local Binational Health Week activities. It is fitting, on such an 
occasion, that we stand here today to honor Binational Health Week for 
their many years of outstanding service to our communities on and 
across the border.

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