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Hector F. Gonzalez, MD, MPH, City of Laredo Health Department, 2600 Cedar, Laredo, TX 78040, 956-795-4920, hgonzalez@ci.laredo.tx.us
Laredo is a border city of over 200,000, primarily Mexican American. It is one of the ten (10) fastest growing metropolitan areas in the US, growing by 45% (1990-2000). 60% of the nations product and goods cross through its four (4) international bridges between Mexico and Latin American into the US and Canada. Daily over 11,000 trucks and trailers cross through one bridge. Poverty and unemployment is twice the state rate. While great strides in public health (sanitation, prevention, disease control) and primary care have been made on the Border. However, there are still several challenges such as unincorporated substandard areas (Colonias), higher incidence of communicable diseases are still prevalent and access to health care is still limited for many. Infectious and noninfectious as well emerging diseases are critical. Moreover new and ongoing environmental health concerns (lead exposure and pesticide poisoning) to an already burdened community only adds to adverse health impacts. A lack of adequate preventive health and proper nutrition also affects an adequate immunological response to environmental risk exposure. Therefore additional public health assessments, intervention and prevention efforts are needed. Finally fragmentation of regulatory enforcement poses additional barriers to appropriately address these health concerns. These represent key challenges for Border 2012, the U.S.-Mexico Border Environmental Program, whose mission is: “To protect the environment and public health in the U.S.-Mexico border region, consistent with the principles of sustainable development.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.