Alliance for a Healthy Border.

Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15), in conjunction with The University of Texas-Pan American President Dr. Blandina Cárdenas, Pfizer Senior Vice President Robert Mallett and Lucy Ramírez, Executive Director at Nuestra Clínica del Valle launched the Alliance for a Healthy Border / Alianza por una Frontera Saludable.

Alliance for a Healthy Border / Alianza por una Frontera Saludable is a partnership designed to improve care for and prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the border region. This two-year, $3.5 million program brings together federally qualified community health centers in the United States, community foundations and nonprofit organizations in Mexico and The University of Texas-Pan American.

Pfizer is providing grants to twelve community health centers across four states in the U.S. to help them develop or expand diabetes and cardiovascular disease prevention programs. Many of the programs will offer a range of prevention activities and materials designed to encourage individuals and their families to adopt “heart healthy” habits into their daily lives and thereby reduce their risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Some of these initiatives include, nutrition classes, weight management classes, walking clubs, and cooking instructions.

“Alliance for a Healthy Border / Alianza por una Frontera Saludable builds on Pfizer’s long-standing commitment to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes for underserved populations, said Robert Mallett, senior vice president of Pfizer Inc. “We believe educational programs that provide communities with easy access to culturally relevant health information materials, and counseling can help reduce the incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the border region.”

The prevalence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease is reaching epidemic levels in the Hispanic population. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Hispanics are almost twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to suffer from diabetes and are often unaware that they are at high-risk for other cardiovascular diseases –the leading cause of death in the U.S. In the border region the risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease are particularity high. For example, the National Center of Health Statistics Center, part of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, estimates that nearly 14% of the border population is pre-diabetic and nearly three-quarters of men and women are overweight or obese.

“Hispanics continue to suffer disproportionately from diabetes and cardiovascular disease –especially in the 15th District of Texas,” said Congressman Hinojosa at the diabetes screening at Nuestra Clínica del Valle. “To turn the tide on these grave health issues, we need all sectors of society working together. I welcome the example set by Pfizer’s Alliance for a Healthy Border / Alianza por una Frontera Saludable.”

As a result of the Alliance for a Healthy Border program, Nuestra Clínica del Valle will be offering a 16- week course over a two-year period that includes weekly supervised exercise sessions and instructional workshops on diet, nutrition, and weight management. Nuestra Clínica expects to serve approximately 500 individuals in the first year and up to 1000 participants in year two of the partnership.

“Pfizer is helping us make a difference in the lives of people in Hidalgo County who are at great risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” said Lucy Ramirez, Executive Director of Nuestra Clínica. “Too many of our relatives, friends and neighbors have been impacted by these epidemics and today we are making progress in reversing these trends.”

In addition to Nuestra Clínica del Valle in San Juan, Pfizer is providing funding to the Gateway Community Health Center in Laredo, Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe, Inc in El Paso and United Medical Centers, Inc in Eagle Pass. This Pfizer partnership also supports eight other community health centers along the border in Arizona, New Mexico and California.

In order to assess the impact of this program, Pfizer has joined with The University of Texas-Pan American to evaluate grantees’ prevention efforts and to support their progress. For example, the centers will provide UTPA with health measures, such as body mass index (BMI) and cholesterol, which will be tracked over time to demonstrate the improved health outcomes among the program participants.

“Healthy families are vital to the educational success of future generations. UTPA is pleased and proud to partner with Pfizer in this historical effort to address health challenges on the border,” said President Blandina Cárdenas, UTPA. “We will dedicate the best that is in us –including academic rigor, cultural competence, and commitment to community –to the success of this effort.”