Thursday, August 1, 2024
HSC's State Department visitors from Bangladesh, Bolivia, Botswana, Indonesia, New
Zealand, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka
Crossing borders to advance international health equity
As part of the U.S. State Department鈥檚 , community health representatives from around the world recently visited The during an educational welcome program bringing them to the local Metroplex.
Representatives from HSC鈥檚 and shared presentations with visitors from Bangladesh, Bolivia, Botswana, Indonesia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka. Within their countries, these diplomats serve in health care, community health, ministry of health and family welfare, infectious diseases, higher education and other positions.
Also attending were SPH community partners Mary Ann Contreras, violence and injury prevention manager, JPS Health Network; Christina Judge, executive director, Mental Health Connection of Tarrant County, Patricia Rodriguez, chief medical officer, North Texas Area Community Health Centers; and Tiffany Mayfield, North Texas Area Community Health Centers鈥� director of operations.
The multi-regional Advancing Global Health Equity project is part of the , arranged by the , the nonprofit Meridian International Diplomacy Center and the .
One of the program鈥檚 goals was to increase friendship and understanding between citizen diplomats, said Mahalet Kefyalew, international services manager at the DFW World Affairs Council. State Department objectives were to explore programs and interventions that embed health equity into their design, implementation and evaluation; discuss local, national and international efforts and collaborations, including public-private partnerships, to promote health equity; and identify best practices and innovations to meet emerging health care priorities while addressing health disparities and concerns such as privacy, access and equity.
In addition to learning about HSC鈥檚 mission and vision, the visiting diplomats were
presented with the School of Public Health鈥檚 strategic plan, , representing a commitment to achieve health equity in every local community, in
alignment with the , the and HSC鈥檚 initiative. The initiatives of HSC鈥檚 Institute for Health Disparities were also discussed.
Presenting on behalf of the SPH were , dean; , public health researcher and assistant professor; and , assistant professor of population and community health.
, research enterprise solutions director, spoke on behalf of the HSC Institute for Health Disparities.
The mission of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is to inspire deeper
understanding by exploring national and international affairs, systems and cultures
that shape the human experience.
From - Community by Sally Crocker