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PAHO Director Speaks at Conference on Women and Infectious Diseases

Washington, DC, February 27, 2004 (PAHO)—Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Mirta Roses speaks at the closing plenary session of an international meeting on women and infectious diseases in Atlanta this week.

Dr. Roses' address, entitled: Next Steps in Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease Among Women, discusses a gender approach to prevention and treatment of infectious diseases that takes into account gender variables including economic activities and policies, social activities, and personal factors.

"Addressing inequalities in service provision involves improving our response at many levels within the health sector as well as working with other sectors to address factors that impact on health including education, environment, social development, and financial issues."

The International Conference on Women and Infectious Diseases: From Science to Action is being held in Atlanta, Ga., today and Saturday, Feb. 28. The conference - at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis -- was planned by the National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and numerous partners, including PAHO. Her presentation was scheduled for 2:30pm EST on Feb. 28.

The goal of the conference is to enhance prevention and control of infectious diseases among women worldwide. Its objectives are:

• To enhance prevention and control of infectious diseases that disproportionately impact women;
• To enhance prevention and control of infectious diseases that affect whole populations but affect women in distinct ways;
• To enhance prevention and control of infectious diseases that affect pregnancy, birth, and infants;
• To identify and explore gender-appropriate interventions for preventing infectious diseases among women;
• To promote discussion and information-sharing of the science of infectious diseases in women among attendees representing a wide diversity of disciplines and backgrounds; and
• To promote collaboration among researchers, clinicians, women's health advocates, educators, policymakers, and community-based organizations from both developed and developing countries, and to strengthen feedback to and from communities.

The conference is intended for clinicians, scientists, women's health advocates, health educators, public health workers, academicians, and representatives from all levels of government and from community-based, nonprofit, philanthropic, and international organizations.

PAHO was established in 1902 and is the world's oldest public health organization. PAHO works with all the countries of the Americas to improve the health and the quality of life of people of the Americas. It serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO).

PAHO Member States today include all 35 countries in the Americas. France, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are Participating States. Portugal and Spain are Observer States, and Puerto Rico is an Associate Member.