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They walked for health. And although the walk was short, the event served to kick off the 13th Binational Health Week in San Diego and Baja California.
The annual event also takes place across the United States and Canada, with the participation of the consular networks of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.
Binational Health Week is the largest mobilization effort in the Americas to improve the health and well-being of underserved Latinos living in the U.S. and Canada.
Locally, Binational Health Week is spearheaded by the Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego and the Health Initiative of the Americas out of UC Berkeley, with collaboration from the County Health and Human Services Agency’s Office of Border Health.
“Binational Health Week has become so popular we’ve extended it through the entire month of October,” said Consul General of Mexico Remedios Gómez Arnau, who led the walk from the Consulate General of Mexico on India Street to the County Administration Center and back. “This year we have 36 organizations providing services in San Diego and Baja California.”
Local agencies and community organizations will conduct nearly 90 health promotion events and education activities, including blood pressure and cholesterol screenings, as well as vaccination events and vision, dental and HIV exams. For more information, call 2-1-1.
“The services offered during Binational Health Week directly align with the County’s Live Well San Diego initiative which aims to improve the health and well-being of local residents,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H, County public health officer.
During last year’s events, about 7,000 people received information and more than 2,000 were screened for potential health issues.
