Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of parasitic, viral and bacterial infections that afflict mainly those living in extreme poverty. An estimated 1.6 million households in the U.S. and 5 million people in Mexico live in extreme poverty, less than $2 per person per day. NTDs tend to be chronic, debilitating infections that leave their victims malnourished, disabled and disfigured, often resulting in social stigma and a limited capacity to work or attend school. Despite the fact that NTDs impact public health and local economies in both the U.S. and Mexico, only a few initiatives are working to prevent these diseases.
“The United States and Mexico: Addressing a Shared Legacy of Neglected Tropical Diseases and Poverty” brought together scientists and policy experts to discuss how NTDs are affecting both countries. The conference examined the social and political barriers to the control and prevention of NTDs and determined ways that the U.S. and Mexico can work together to address these diseases.
Dr. Mercedes Juan López, Mexico's minister of health, delivered an address during the morning session.
These events are organized by the Baker Institute's Center for Health and Biosciences and the Mexico Center; the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine; and the END Fund, in partnership with the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. They are supported by a grant from the AbbVie Foundation and Burt and Deedee McMurtry.
To view the entire conference, please click below:
Tackling Disease and Poverty in Mexico
Disease and Poverty in Mexico/Resource Mobilization
Agenda
8:00 am
Breakfast
9:00 am
Welcome Remarks and Introductions
Vivian Ho, Ph.D.
James A. Baker III Chair in Health Economics and Director, Center for Health and Biosciences,
Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy
Verónica Arroyave, Ph.D., MPH
Director of Corporate Responsibility and the AbbVie Foundation
Introduction to student outreach competition winners
Jennifer Nguyen and Emmy Sun
University of Western Ontario
9:15 am
Blue Marble Health
Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D.
Fellow in Disease and Poverty, Baker Institute
Dean, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine
Tackling Disease and Poverty in Mexico
Mercedes Juan López, M.D.
Secretary of Health, Mexico
Panel I: NTDs in the Gulf Coast
Moderator: Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D.
Zoonotic and Viral Infections
Kristy O. Murray, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine
Parasitic Infections
Rojelio Mejia, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases and Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine
Luncheon Keynote: Addressing NTDs with Public Policy at the State Level
Sarah Davis, J.D.
Texas State Representative, District 134
Disease and Poverty in Mexico
Roberto Tapia-Conyer, M.D., Ph.D., MPH
Director General, The Carlos Slim Foundation
Resource Mobilization
Sarah Marchal Murray
Chief Operating Officer, the END Fund
Panel II: Social and Environmental Determinants of NTDs and Technologies for Treatment and Prevention
Moderator: Tony Payan, Ph.D., Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies and Director, Mexico Center, Baker Institute
Bruce Lee, M.D., MBA
Director of Operations Research, International Vaccine Access Center, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Sahotra Sarkar, Ph.D.
Professor, Philosophy and Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin
Lester Martínez-López, M.D.
President, Martinez Medical Consulting LLC
Carolina Batista, M.D.
Regional Medical Manager, Drugs for Neglected Tropical Diseases Initiative, Latin America
Break
3:45 pmPanel III: Shaping Policy for NTD Control and Prevention
Moderator: Anna C. Dragsbaek, J.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, The Immunization Partnership
Carina Perotti Fux, M.D.
Medical Coordinator, Doctors Without Border, Mexico
Andrew Natsios
Director, Scrowcroft Institute of International Affairs and Executive Professor, Buch School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University
Eva M. Moya, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, College of Health Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso
Blanca Lomeli, M.D.
Country Director, Mexico, Project Concern International