httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1EmeXm3hK4 Haiti’s Minister of Health, Alex Larsen, describes the impact of the Jan. 12 earthquake on the country’s infrastructure and health sector. He says support from partners such as PAHO/WHO for vaccination campaigns and other public health measures helped Haiti avoid epidemic outbreaks, despite the large numbers of people living in temporary settlements. About 75 percent of the infrastructure in three departments was destroyed or seriously damaged,

Dr. Gutierrez, Area Manager of Planning, Budget and Resource Coordination at PAHO, presented to the 50th Directing Council the guiding principles and the different options for upgrading the management information system of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau (PMIS). He reported on the recent meetings held with the World Health Organization, UNAIDS, the International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations High Commissioner for the Refugees, as well as with the companies Oracle and SAP, two

José Ángel Córdova Villalobos, Mexico's Secretary of Health, talks about his role as the new president of PAHO's Directing Council, evaluates his country's response to the influenza pandemic, highlights the importance of building safe hospitals, analiyzes the main health challenges in the Americas, and sends a message to all member states of the Pan American Health

Javier Vasquez, PAHO advisor on human rights and law, explains how human rights standards and treaties can help public health advocates highlight the responsibilities of states to protect health as a basic human right. Ministers of health from countries throughout the Americas endorsed the approach this week during PAHO's 50th Directing Council meeting, pledging to work with governmental human rights agencies to evaluate and monitor the implementation of international treaties and standards,

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXJVbhJcKZI

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoG1j-XwFxU Dr. Martinez describes Paraguay's commitment to PAHO's Revolving Fund, and highlights the continued efforts by the public sector and civil society to maintain gains made in the area of smoke-free

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8TksNqZRSE In her speech, the Director of PAHO emphasized the promotion of health, well-being and human security in the Region of the