United States and México Pledge Increased Cooperation in Pandemic-Influenza Preparedness Along Their Shared Border

November 15, 2006 - The United States and México today announced the signing of an agreement to boost cooperation on pandemic-influenza preparedness among the six Mexican states and four U.S. States that share a border. This occurred during the 14th meeting of the U.S.-México Border Health Commission in Hermosillo, Senora, México. The meeting underlined the concept that pandemics do not respect borders.

Speaking at the session, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness, RADM Craig Vanderwagen, M.D., said,  “An influenza pandemic knows no political or geographic boundaries and responding to a potential outbreak will demand the cooperation of all nations, especially those that share common borders like México and the United States, This agreement reflects the strong relationship between our nation and México and is a critical step in protecting our citizens.”  The need for cooperative pandemic-influenza preparedness is built into a number of U.S.-México partnerships.  The two countries work together on this issue as part of the Global Health Security Initiative, and along with Canada in the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America. 

During the meeting, RADM Vanderwagen and the Director-General for Epidemiology of the Mexican Federal Secretariat of Health, Dr. Pablo Kuri Morales signed a joint declaration to strengthen the commitment of the two nations to coordinate preparedness efforts, domestic and international disease-surveillance activities, and response planning in the event of an outbreak of pandemic influenza. 

The U.S.-México Border Health Commission (USMBHC) was established in July 2000 to provide international leadership to enhance health and the quality of life among residents along both sides of the shared border.  The Commission’s purpose is to raise awareness about public-health issues in the region and the health and medical challenges faced by border populations; to help create the necessary venues and partnerships to mobilize the actions needed to improve the health status of those border-area residents; and to serve as a reliable information portal about border-health issues.

For more information:

• HHS preparedness for a pandemic influenza: www.pandemicflu.gov
• Questions and answers on pandemic influenza in English and Spanish at: http://answers.pandemicflu.gov/cgi-bin/pandemicflu.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php
• Borderhealth.org
• HHS press release on the U.S.-Mexico meeting on pandemic influenza preparedness: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2006pres/20061114.html

Last revised: October 10, 2007