SPEECHES 2009

Remarks for Ambassador Stephenson at the Symposium: Health for the Americas: Responding to Pandemic Influenza

August 27, 2009

Ambassador Barbara J. Stephenson

Honorable Minister of Health, Dr. Franklin Vergara;
Honorable Ambassador Jeffrey Davidow, President, Institute of the Americas;
Ministers of Health from the region;
Distinguished guests;
Welcome everyone.

It is a pleasure to be with you this morning as U.S. Ambassador to Panama. I am impressed to see such great turnout today of such high-level participants. Your participation in this symposium demonstrates your commitment to the wellbeing and health of all humanity. While we are all preoccupied with the pandemic influenza, this symposium comes at an opportune time and provides us with a forum to be candid about what is working, what needs to be improved, and how we can better manage our efforts on a regional and global scale.

I want to first extend my sincere gratitude to the Panamanian Ministry of Health, the Institute for the Americas and U.S. Southern Command for all your leadership with this vitally important event. The region, particularly Panama and the United States have shared a long and positive history in the area of health.

As we sit here today, I am reminded of Doctor William Gorgas and the enormous challenge he had before him.

Despite skepticism and opposition of his ideas, and without the resources and tools of today, Doctor Gorgas applied an innovative, yet simple, solution to combat two of the world’s most lethal epidemics – malaria and yellow fever.

Today, we are able to communicate and implement on a global level that was unthinkable 20 years ago. Thanks to the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the health institutions in each of your own countries we are able to mitigate wide-spread fear and instantly track the outbreak of these diseases. We live in an era where technology helps facilitate the speed of information and enables us to keep people informed and aware of potential health risks.

Today, we also have the opportunity to develop new relationships and create a larger human network. By knowing your fellow regional colleagues better each of you will be able to use the rapid communication system and tools to more effectively tackle the diseases of our time. Ultimately, our best means for fighting this global threat is through our relationships, coordination, rapid communications and the sharing and promoting of best practices.    

Today’s meeting of the minds is a reflection of our regional responsibilities and opportunities to work together for the greater good of our societies. I hope you enjoy the great line-up of speakers, and above all, I hope you walk away with new contacts and new information and methods that enable you greater efficacy in fighting this disease and the ones of tomorrow.   

Thank you.