USAID and Historically Black Universities Explore Partnering in International Health Programs 11/25/2002
From: Michele Robinson of JHPIEGO, 410-537-1969 WASHINGTON, Nov. 25 -- Officials from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and leaders of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) have begun a dialog on how they can better partner to improve the health status of women and their families around the world. The dialog was initiated at a conference held at Howard University November 19-20, 2002 sponsored by the Minority Health Professionals Foundation in collaboration with JHPIEGO through support from USAID. Several USAID officials stressed the importance of greater involvement from black colleges and universities. Constance Berry Newman, Assistant Administrator of USAID's Bureau for Africa, praised the conference, which she noted was the first of its kind to "put HBCUs in the same room with those who make funding and policy decisions." Newman said that the HBCUs have a great deal to "contribute to (USAID's) efforts to ensure that more partnering opportunities are available than before." She cited the critical health care needs of women in Sub-Saharan Africa where "one in 13 women die during pregnancy or childbirth, most women deliver without any help from birth attendants and more than one half of women have no access to family planning services..." She noted that the current USAID budget request now pending in Congress "links resources with a stronger role for HBCUs." According to USAID's budget justification, the agency "plans to continue to support the HBCU consortium and further encourage member universities" active participation in research and technical assistant on selected (family planning and reproductive health) topics." Newman recommended that HBCUs partner with developing countries to "lead us in identifying problems so that USAID matches their needs." Louis W. Sullivan, immediate past president of Morehouse School of Medicine, and former secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, delivered the keynote address and listed several reasons why HBCUs should work more closely with USAID including the need to preserve social stability in nations in Africa, Southeast Asia and Russia which are suffering the "devastating consequences of the AIDS epidemic." Sullivan noted that the AIDS epidemic leads to a "collapse" of the society leaving only children and the elderly, becoming a "breeding ground for terrorists." Frederick 'Skip" Burkle, Deputy Assistant Administrator in USAID's Bureau for Global Health, reiterated that "diversity is the core value at USAID" and urged the HBCUs to submit "new ideas, and recommendations to improve collaboration. --- EDITOR'S NOTE: A photo supporting this release is available for editorial use at http://www.wirepix.com/newsphotos/USN/ |