A delegation composed by Hon. Luis Gallo, MP from Uruguay and co-chair of Americas TB Caucus, Ambassador Anibal Cabral, also from Uruguay, Ms Cintia Dantas, from the Global TB Caucus Secretariat, and Giorgio Franyuti, national focal point for the Caucus in Mexico, attended a series of meetings in Mexico to identify Members of Parliament who might be interested in joining the work of the Global TB Caucus and lead the relaunch of the National TB Caucus.
The delegation first met with the chair of the Human Rights Committee from the Senate, Hon. Kenya Lopez who was very welcoming and committed to raising the issue in the Human Rights Committee of the Senate.
The next day, the delegation met with Dr Eduardo Jaramillo, General Director for the UN in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who mentioned the importance of raising political awareness around the disease, highlighting that TB is not only health-related and should have an intersectoral approach. He mentioned that Universal Health Care should be a priority, and gave his support to the Global TB Caucus.
During these three days of bilateral meetings, the delegation also met with Dr Ruy Lopez, General Director for the National Center for Prevention Programmes and Diseases Control. During the meeting that took place in the Ministry of Health, Hon. Gallo took the opportunity to speak about the UN High-Level meeting targets and the Leader’s Declaration. The group also discussed the need for increased domestic funding for TB, the need for articulations between the to-be launched Caucus and the NTP, and the need to set up a strategic agenda with all TB stakeholders in the country.
Dr Cristian Morales, PAHO Country representative, committed to supporting the relaunch of the Caucus in Mexico. The delegation then had several meetings in the Senate. Senator Alejandra Reynoso committed to being the spokesperson of the caucus within the Senate and to mobilising MPs to carry on discussions on the theme. Senator Americo Villarreal then accepted being one of the chairs of the Mexican TB Caucus, with the support from the Chair of the Health Committee in the Senate. At last, they met Hon. Hugo Ruiz, chair of the Human Rights Committee, and Hon Miroslava Sanchez, chair of the Health Committee, both in the lower chamber, who agreed to articulate with the Senate for the relaunch of the National Caucus.
The delegation successfully left Mexico leaving a very-well engaged work in progress on launching the new Mexico TB Caucus, and built solid new relations with MPs, executives and Civil Society in the country.
