Document(s) 5 of 7

Carlos Corvalan
Sustainable Development and Environmental Health, Pan American Health Organization

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) collaborated with new and old partners to organize the International EcoHealth Forum (IEF 2008). PAHO’s involvement was natural, as the organization “has worked with The National Institute of Public Health in Mexico for many years,” Dr Carlos Corvalan said. “IDRC has been a tremendous partner and a tremendous force globally, particularly in the PAHO region.”

For Dr Corvalan, a partnership is “a group of organizations that have a common goal.” The Forum helped PAHO to advance and cement existing partnerships with institutions like the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ).

“We had worked with these different groups in the past, and [the Forum] helped to consolidate the work,” Dr Corvalan said.

PAHO also developed a new relationship with the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE) at Wisconsin University, where Dr Jonathan Patz, president of the International Association for Ecology and Health, is a professor. SAGE is “applying to become a collaborating centre with PAHO,” Dr Corvalan said. This implies a formal arrangement where an institution is designated to carry out activities in support of PAHO’s programs.

The Forum helped Dr Corvalan connect with key practitioners and potential collaborators “who are doing extremely interesting work in many countries.” In future, it will be beneficial to explore partnerships with policy makers as well.

The World Health Organization (WHO) “became very engaged [in ecohealth] when the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment was done,” said Dr Corvalan. Initiated in 2001, the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment monitored the consequences of ecosystem change for human welfare. Ecohealth is “an emerging area in public health: everything is related to changes in the environment.”

Pan American Health Organization
The National Institute of Public Health, Mexico
Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment, Wisconsin University
International Association for Ecology and Health
Millenium Ecosystem Assessment
Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Brazil

Document(s) 5 of 7