ADHS
News Release:
 |
 |
| Release: |
Arizona and Sonora Reach Historic Agreement on Regional Influenza Pandemic Readiness Plan |
|
| Release
Date: |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –
June 16, 2006 |
|
| Contact: |
Michael Murphy, ADHS Public Information: (602) 542-1094 |
|
|
|
Directors of the Arizona and Sonoran Health Departments today announced a historic agreement to begin immediate work on a coordinated pandemic readiness plan.
“Diseases don’t respect borders, so to protect our citizens, we must work together on our emergency response efforts,” said Susan Gerard, Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Gerard and Raymundo Lopez Vucovich, Secretary of Public Health of the Mexican State of Sonora, pledged to collaborate to combat a possible global outbreak and to share information during a public health emergency. The agreement will be formally signed during a ceremony Saturday during the Arizona-Mexico Commission summer plenary meeting in Scottsdale.
While no one can predict the timing or severity of the next influenza pandemic, the states of Arizona and Sonora are taking the threat seriously and moving to work together to develop joint strategies to cope with such an international public health emergency.
“Pandemic influenza is the greatest global public health challenge of our time, and we need a global response,” said Gerard. “Arizona is proud to join with our partners in Mexico in this effort. We will draw from the wealth of knowledge and experience on both sides of the borders in developing our plan.”
Under the agreement, the states of Arizona and Sonora will complete an Arizona-Sonoran Regional Pandemic Response Plan by June 2007. The states also agreed to improve coordination of public health information to better protect the communities of the region.
Arizona released its updated Influenza Pandemic Readiness Plan in February. For more information, go to
www.azdhs.gov.
|
|
|
