Dear Border Health Partners:

On behalf of the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission (Commission), we would like to express our appreciation for your support of the Commission. The Commission continues its advocacy of border health issues through outreach offices, education and resource management along the 2000-mile stretch of borderland between the United States and Mexico. The Commission is proud to present to you its 2004 Annual Report and the recommendations to the U.S. and Mexico governments.

The Commission, now in its fourth year of operation, is moving forward in its mandate. This year has marked a greater level of collaboration on a number of different fronts, such as with federal agencies in implementing and integrating the Healthy Border 2010 agenda; playing an active role in strengthening partnerships with the ten border states in support of terrorism and public emergency preparedness; launching the Immunization Week in the Americas and the first United States-Mexico Border Binational Health Week, and inaugurated two Mexico regional outreach offices.

Some important milestones that have been reached include:

• The Consolidation of a unified Commission;

• Implementation of the Binominal Tuberculosis Case Management Pilot Project to insure continuity of care and completion of treatment for patients;

• The completion of the dissemination guides of the Border Models of Excellence Initiative which will help disseminate “best models” throughout the border region to improve health;

• Launching of the U.S.-Mexico Border Early Warning of Infectious Diseases Surveillance Project; and

• The publication of Healthy Border 2010: An Agenda for Improving Health on the United States-Mexico Border, the Healthy Border Calendar; and Health Cards (Tarjetas de Salud)

The border continues to evolve into a model of success and collaboration for both countries and has the potential to be an inspirational example and model of cooperation and collaboration for the international community.

We are confident that you will share our sense of accomplishment and will look forward to further advancing our goals in 2005.

Sincerely,

Eva M. Moya, LMSW

Executive Director

United States Section

Lic. Héctor Xavier Martínez

Executive Secretary

Mexico Section

For more information, please contact:

Robert Guerrero

Website: Annual Report 2004