Committed to expanding research and training programs focused on the health of older adults throughout Latin America
On June 13, 2005, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization designated UTMB as a Collaborating Center on Aging and Health during a ceremony at UTMB. Martha Pelaez, PhD, regional advisor for aging and health with PAHO/WHO, presented a certificate to Dr. James Goodwin, director of UTMB's Sealy Center on Aging, designating UTMB as the home of the collaborating center. Dr. Pelaez is responsible for technical collaboration on public health and aging to 28 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Dr. Pelaez told the approximately 80-member audience to brace for serious problems among aging Hispanics in Latin America over the next 45 years. Not only will these countries have to resolve how to care for hundreds of millions of older adults, she said, but at the same time meet the needs created by a relatively high birth rate. “The collaborating center at UTMB will help solve these problems,” Dr. Pelaez said.
What is a PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center on Aging and Health?
WHO collaborating centers play an essential role in research and clinical training in public health, geriatrics and gerontology. The members of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Collaborating Center for Research on Aging and Hispanic Health are Leaders in providing technical expertise to PAHO member countries so that they can attain the maximum level of equity in access and quality of health services for older people in the Americas.
Why Collaborating Centers?
Article 2(n) of the WHO Constitution assigns to the Organization the function to "promote and conduct research in the field of health".
PAHO recognizes that the optimal way of promoting research and related activities should be through collaboration with national institutions within Member States.