Dr. Salomón Chertorivsky, Mexico’s Minister of Health
Bi-national Responses to Pandemics: How the U.S. and Mexico can work together to combat infectious diseases

Dr. Chertorivsky, who worked closely with global health officials during the H1N1 pandemic, will talk about collaborative efforts to fight contagious diseases in the border region.

Before being named to the cabinet-level position by President Felipe Calderón in 2011, Dr. Chertorivsky served as national commissioner of Seguro Popular, a program to provide medical care to 49 million Mexicans who do not have access to other government-funded programs.

Dr. Juan Ramón de la Fuente, who served as Mexico’s Minister of Health in the cabinet of former President Ernesto Zedillo, will speak about the country’s health care reforms.

Gov. Ivonne Ortega Pacheco of Yucatan, Mexico, will also discuss her forward-looking health program, as well as efforts by her administration to protect the environment in a state which is home to a national treasure, Chichen Itza.

The presentations mark the opening day of the 9th annual Jack F. Ealy Science Journalism workshop, a week-long forum which will host journalists from Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela and Chile.