Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Mexico
Secretary of Health Salomón Chertorivski today announced a series of new
steps to strengthen health security cooperation between the two
countries. The health secretaries outlined these efforts during the 65th
World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.
"The United States and Mexico have had a long and close relationship in
supporting and improving our ability to respond to public health events
and emergencies of mutual interest when they arise," Secretary Sebelius
said. "The trade links between our two countries, our common border, and
the high degree of trade in food products speak to the need for close
bilateral cooperation in health security for both of our nations."
"It is important to strengthen the programs of regulation and
surveillance of medical products and health services on behalf of public
health. International collaboration and the development of new
strategies will create a more effective process that protects against
health risks," Secretary Chertorivski said. "Mexico is committed to
continue working to develop the best tools and procedures for the care
and control necessary to maintain the best health possible for the
population."
The two health secretaries signed a declaration formally adopting a
shared set of technical guidelines that both countries will follow to
respond to public health events and emergencies of mutual interest when
they arise. The guidelines describe how the two nations will coordinate
the exchange of information, and they complement the International
Health Regulations, which call for neighboring countries to develop
accords and work together on shared epidemiologic events and public
health issues. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
and Mexico's General Directorate of Epidemiology led the development of
the guidelines, along with support from the HHS Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Preparedness and Response and Mexico's Secretariat of
Health.
Secretaries Sebelius and Chertorivksi also renewed an agreement between
the United States and Mexico that strengthens existing scientific and
public health activities related to the regulation of food safety,
including products and feed for food-producing animals. This arrangement
recommits the two countries to communicate on food safety and to
identify areas for coordination and collaboration between several U.S.
and Mexican agencies—HHS, through its Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture; and the Secretariat of
Health, through its Federal Commission for the Protection Against
Sanitary Risk (COFEPRIS) and the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock,
Rural Development, Fisheries and Food in Mexico through its National
Service of Health, Food Safety and Agro Food Quality (SENASICA). The
renewed agreement is evidence of the ongoing commitment to help ensure
that the foods for our populations as well as foods traded between our
countries are safe and wholesome.
Finally, Secretary Sebelius presented Secretary Chertorivksi with a
plaque welcoming the Mexican Secretariat of Health's National Institute
of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference as a member of CDC's
Laboratory Response Network. Mexico is the fourth country to join the
LRN along with Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. This
achievement is a result of Mexico's upgraded capabilities to respond
quickly to acts of biological threats, emerging infectious diseases, and
other public health threats and emergencies.