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Mexico’s National Institute of Public Health (INSP) hosted the International EcoHealth Forum (IEF 2008) in Mérida. In many ways this role came naturally to INSP.

 

“The ecohealth approach is the modus operandi the institute would like to adopt,” said Dr Mario-Henry Rodriguez, Director General of INSP, “and we continue to integrate it as our way of doing public health.”

 

The Forum is part of a journey in the relationship between INSP and Canada’s IDRC. It also cemented INSP’s partnerships with the Community of Practice in Ecohealth—Toxics in Latin America and the Caribbean (CoPEH-TLAC).

 

The next step in the journey is an innovative collaboration between INSP and partners in Central America and southern Mexico, to form the Meso-American Institute of Public Health.

 

“It’s a very interesting creation,” said Dr Rodriguez. “It’s not an institute itself, but a group of institutes developing capability in the region.” This network uses the ecohealth approach for communication across disciplines, for social and gender equity, and for community participation.

 

Planned initiatives for the Meso-American Institute include supporting universal vaccination programs, eliminating malaria and malnutrition, improving maternal and child health, and controlling dengue fever.

 

According to Dr. Rodriguez, one of the benefits of using an ecohealth approach for the Institute’s activities is that interventions will be designed to build capacity. As a result, “when we retire from the project because we have no more funds, we leave something in place.”

 

INSP sees an ecosystem approach as essential in responding to complex issues in public health. IEF 2008 provided a forum for ideas and partnerships that foster this agenda.  

 

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