June 25, 2010 | A budding partnership between the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and the Mexican Consulate in Little Rock was highlighted by the opening of a new health opportunity for Mexicans living in Arkansas and a visit June 23 by the Mexican Secretary of Health.

The Mexican Consulate in Little Rock hosted a ribbon-cutting event featuring several local and foreign dignitaries and UAMS officials to launch the “Ventanilla de Salud,” or Health Window Program. Along with a $30,000 initial commitment from the Mexican government, an $80,961 grant awarded to the UAMS Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health last year by the Arkansas Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas helped launch the health window to boost health education and screening programs.

“Our overall charge is to improve the health and well-being of all people living in Arkansas, and this effort is an outstanding opportunity to reach a specific and growing demographic group that allows us to make an immediate difference,” said Jim Raczynski, Ph.D., dean of the College of Public Health. “I look forward to many years of successful collaboration.”

The Ventanilla de Salud is the 40th program to launch among other Mexican Consulates in the nation, with hopes to have 50 up and running by the end of 2010 to cover all of the Mexican Consulates in the U.S.

“Medical care has been a worrisome problem for Mexicans in the United States,” Consul General Andres Chao said. “This has been a successful program for health in many other parts of the country. We want to welcome individuals interested in health and family information in a place where they feel most comfortable.”

Chao said the structure for the Health Window Program has been so successful that it’s been used as a model by other countries such as France and Brazil.

“We are sure that this program is an important first step towards the well-being of Mexicans residing in Arkansas and an important addition to the broad range of programs that address health disparities in minority populations,” said UAMS Chancellor Dan Rahn, M.D. “Health issues know no boundaries, and it pleases us to be a part of the solution.”

Following the ribbon-cutting event at the Mexican Consulate, José Ángel Córdova Villalobos, the Mexican Secretary of Health presented “The Government of Mexico’s Integral Strategy toward Migrants’ Health” in the 8th floor auditorium at the College of Public Health. The lecture detailed his country’s approach to identifying and providing health care for Mexicans living in the United States, especially in Arkansas.

Villalobos said the Health Windows Program was an integral part of increasing awareness and use of available health services in communities, and in disease prevention among the entire Latino population living in the U.S.

“More than 25,000 people a month are seen through the Health Windows Programs in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego and Dallas,” he said. “Little Rock is now part of a large step toward improving the health of the Latino population in this area.”