Tag Archives: Chiapas

Water and NTD Programs in Chiapas, Mexico

Latin America and the Caribbean, Water and Sanitation, World Water Week 2011, Mexico, , , Work Water Week 2011Laura Gonzalez

Unlike other regions of the world, Latin America and the Caribbean is poised for unprecedented success in the fight against NTDs.  Today, SIWI’s World Water Week hosted an event entitled “Fighting Poverty in Latin America: Integrating Water and Health Initiatives.”

Water and sanitation is a major obstacle to successfully eliminating NTDs, and at a special session focusing on water and NTDs, representatives from Global Network, the Inter-American Development Bank, and FEMSA discussed the opportunities that exist when NTD treatments are integrated with water and sanitation interventions.  The audience at SIWI got a sneak peak at a video showcasing some of the efforts to combat NTDs in Chiapas, Mexico.  The program uses a community-based approach to get patients the health resources they need.

See what’s being done to end the neglect in Mexico!


Chiapas Receives 5.5 Million Pesos for the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases

hookworm, Latin America and the Caribbean, NTDs, poverty, Public Health, Trachoma, , , , , , , , , , ,

Press Release from Inter-American Development Bank:

More than 132,000 people will benefit from a program Inter-American Development Bank(IDB), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Sabin Vaccine Institute (SVI) signed with the State of Chiapas to combat some of the worst infectious diseases.

The Chiapas State Government will fight tropical diseases such as trachoma and helminthiasis with $312,000 donated by the institutions and their local counterpart. FEMSA Foundation has also joined this effort and donated $137,520 to the State of Chiapas.

The program endeavors to reduce morbidity and help raise the index of human development in the Southern-most state of Mexico. It plans to ensure compliance with international commitments such as the elimination of onchocerciasis, trachoma, rabies transmitted by dogs, control of diseases like Chagas disease and leishmaniasis, as well as prevention from soil-transmitted helminthiasis. These diseases have detrimental social impacts that include low work productivity and social occlusion.

The agreement on the donation was signed on February 15, 2011. The first project under the initiative to combat tropical diseases will be held in the five trachoma-endemic municipalities of Chiapas: San Juan Cancuc, Oxchuc, Tenejapa, Huixtan and Chanal. This pilot project aims to show how comprehensive and well designed projects can achieve elimination and control of these diseases.

The agreement was signed by the state authorities of Chiapas, State Governor Lic. Juan Sabines Guerrero, the Health Secretary, Dr. James Gomez Montes, the IDB representative in Mexico, Mr. Ellis Juan, the Managing Director of the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, Dr. Neeraj Mistry, the Director of FEMSA Foundation, Mr. Vidal Garza, and Dr. Humberto Montiel, representing the Pan American Health Organization. Being witnessed by Dr. Margarita Aguilar, PAHO representative in Chiapas.

This first demonstration project will also receive additional resources from the state government to provide clean water and basic sanitation to municipalities. The program’s objective is to demonstrate reproducibility in any Latin American country, which will positively impact human and social development in the region.

To learn more click here!