The United States and Mexico: Addressing a Shared Legacy of Neglected Tropical D

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of parasitic, viral and bacterial infections that afflict mainly those living in extreme poverty. An estimated 1.6 million households in the U.S. and 5 million people in Mexico live in extreme poverty, less than $2 per person per day. NTDs tend to be chronic, debilitating infections that leave their victims malnourished, disabled and disfigured, often resulting in social stigma and a limited capacity to work or attend school. Despite the fact that NTDs impact public health and local economies in both the U.S. and Mexico, only a few initiatives are working to prevent these diseases. The United States and Mexico: Addressing a Shared Legacy of Neglected Tropical Diseases and Poverty will bring together scientists and policy experts to discuss how NTDs are affecting both countries. The conference will examine the social and political barriers to the control and prevention of NTDs and determine ways that the U.S. and Mexico can work together to address these diseases. This is a 3-part event. Please go to www.bakerinstitute.org/events/US-Mexico-NTDs to RSVP and reserve your free seat at the student workshop and opening keynote from Dr. Mitchell Wolfe of the United States Department of Health and Human Services on September 29, and the main conference featuring a 10AM keynote from the Mexico Secretary of Health Dr. Mercedes Juan Lopez on September 30. These events are organized by the Baker Institute's Center for Health and Biosciences and the Mexico Center; the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine; and the END Fund, in partnership with the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. They are supported by a grant from the AbbVie Foundation and Burt and Deedee McMurtry.