/ Modified jul 7, 2016 7:16 a.m.

Better Health on Border Goal of Binational Effort

Healthy Border 20/20 plan brings medical professionals from both sides together.

X-ray Spot Doctors gather to observe and review a knee X-ray.
AZPM

A binational group of health officials from along the U.S.-Mexico border will meet in Mexico later this month to update a health initiative for the region.

Arizona and Sonora health officials are part of a plan that ensures they work together seamlessly to deal with binational health emergencies.

“…and that is crucial" said Robert Guerrero, chief of border health for the Arizona Department of Health Services, "Not just because we want to be good friends – because we are - but from a safety standpoint."

Guerrero and his counterparts in the 10 states in Mexico and the U.S. that share the border have activated what they call the Healthy Border 20/20 initiative. It provides for binational treatment of public health issues from diabetes to infectious diseases.

More than 15 million people live along the border in areas that have strong connections.

“The communities and families live on both sides," Guerrero said. "If you want to address a health issue, you’ll never be as successful if you didn’t take into account both sides of that border.”

Guerrero said the Healthy Border 20/20 plan is saving lives by engaging the entire region.

By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona