Increased collaboration on health between International Federation and PAHO

15 May 2002

In order to increase their collaboration on health programmes, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Geneva. The agreement sets up a framework for cooperation between the two agencies to develop and implement joint health initiatives in the Americas and the Caribbean, in cooperation with local Ministries of Health.

At the ceremony marking the signature, Federation Secretary General Didier Cherpitel said the time had come to take the years of informal cooperation between the PAHO and Red Cross Societies in the Americas, a step further. Mr. Cherpitel noted the natural and strong complementarity of "PAHO's experience in providing technical cooperation in health to countries of the Western hemisphere" with the ability of the Red Cross to mobilize its extensive network of volunteers who work at the community level, where health initiatives are most efficient.

The Memorandum covers four initial areas of collaboration:

• communicable diseases, including HIV/AIDS;
• voluntary non-remunerated blood donation;
• health in disasters; and
• child health

Dr. Alvaro Bermejo, head of the Federation's Health Department pointed out that some 100,000 lives are lost to natural disasters every year, but that communicable diseases cause millions of deaths each year that could easily be prevented. "We feel we can save many of these lives by providing our Red Cross volunteers in the communities with increased resources and tools to give those in greatest need a better chance to maintain a healthy life", he underlined.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

Marie-Françoise Borel, Information Officer Tel: + 41 22 730 4346 / + 41 79 217 3345

The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 178 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.