President's Message
February 2010
APA and Haïti Relief Efforts: Consistent with our Broad Mission for Children
Since the devastating earthquake hit Haïti on January 12, 2010 the world's peoples and communities have responded to this humanitarian disaster. Medical institutions, national organizations, NGOs, entertainers, individuals - all have responded with open hearts to the needs of the Haïtian people. I've received countless emails from friends. The AMA and the AAP have reached out to the APA and to me personally to tell me of their support. I thank you all. Summarized for you below are the efforts that the APA has been involved in, in support of Haïti relief efforts. I also take a moment to review with you how our response to this disaster is not only in line with our mission to serve children and our strategic plan, but challenges all of us to review how our organizational processes are best leveraged to truly advocate for all children here in the United States and in the world at large.
APA Mission, Strategic Plan and link to global efforts and advocacy:
Mission: "The APA is dedicated to improving the health of ALL children and adolescents through leadership in education of child health professionals, research and dissemination of knowledge, patient care, and advocacy, in partnership with children, families and communities." The corollary vision of the APA is to be a leader among child health professional organizations in optimizing the health of all children, adolescents, and young adults through:
- Education of a diverse group of child health professionals
- Research and dissemination of new knowledge
- Patient care, with measurable improvements in quality and health outcomes
- Advocacy for an equitable children's health agenda
Our core values lead us to embrace the principles of scholarship, interdisciplinary collaboration, diversity, professional development of members, focus on the whole child and to aim for optimal health of all children. Likewise, our strategic plan leads us to the domains of organizational action steps which include support of the APA infrastructure, membership needs, professional development and lastly championing an equitable children's agenda. It is to this last domain that the events of the past two weeks in Haïti most firmly relate. In this domain of our action agenda for equity for all children our strategic plan states most specifically we will intensify our efforts in setting the course to achieving equity from a national and global perspective.
Now is the opportunity to show if our organization will in fact rise to the challenge of its mission and strategic plan on behalf of all children. The specific activities listed below relate to concrete steps that your organization is taking in response to this particular humanitarian disaster, but it also outlines plans for continued collaboration and structural means for addressing equity for the world's children in times of peace, war and upheaval such as natural disasters. As a reminder 50% of Haïti's population is under the age of 18 years and this disaster - an earthquake of this magnitude centered in a densely populated area - is among the most catastrophic in decades. The current estimates are that the death toll is going to exceed 200,000, hundreds of thousands are left disabled and maimed, all are psychologically traumatized, nearly 2 million people are homeless and the challenges to for this small nation will persist for years. Yet, if we are to succeed our vision of the future must not be grim, but hopeful.
APA Activities in support of Haïti Relief and Global Health Strategies for Children:
 | The State of the Art Plenary at the Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting in Vancouver, Canada (May 1-4, 2010) will be held on May 2nd 8am-10am entitled: Global Child Health: Exploring Effective Models to Guide Cross-National Collaborations in Research, Training and Clinical Care. The objectives of this session are: To understand the key elements of effective cross-national programs to reduce child mortality and morbidity; To outline and understand the methods for establishing international research centers of excellence; To understand the role of national and international organizations in promoting effective clinical, training and research collaborations; To outline the components of sustainability of established programs addressing global child health. |
The Chairs are Danielle Laraque, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY and Judith S. Palfrey, Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; and the speakers are: Helping Babies Breathe: Improving Basic Child Survival William J. Keenan, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO; The GHESKIO Centers in Haïti: A Model of National and International Collaboration of Integrated Research, Training and Patient Care. William Jean Pape, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Les Centres GHESKIO, New York, NY. Note that Dr. Pape is currently in Haiti. The GHESKIO Center was partially destroyed and the center lost 4 staff members, but the vision of this research center to bring state of the art research to address the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Haïti remains firm. Effective Training Models: View of the Federation of Pediatric Organizations,Bonita F. Stanton Wayne State University and the Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI; and Tobacco Control Worldwide: Advocacy and Policy Implications for the World's Children, Jonathan D. Klein, American Academy of Pediatrics, Elk Grove Village, IL.
2010 Internal Health SIG Program: Focus program on Haïti
TOPIC: Post-Disaster Physical and Psychological Disabilities and Rehabilitation: How Can We Help? Monday May 3, 8:30-11:30.
Collaboration with the AAP Friends of Children Fund for Disaster Relief. AAP Members and non-members, who have donated to Friends of Children Fund for Disaster Relief, have raised more than $95,000 in response to the disaster in Haïti. In the first days of the disaster I reached out to Errol Alden (Executive Director of the AAP) and Judith Palfrey (AAP President) and their response was brisk in support of Haiti and collaborative efforts with the APA. Other organizational collaborations have extended to
the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI) to be ready in the event that specific assistance regarding pediatric care is requested. I would like to personally thank Drs. Marisa Herran and Marlene Goodfriend for collaborating with me and the APA in our efforts to bring assistance to Haiti via the coordinated efforts of the AAP and the Haïtian Pediatric Society. APA members have responded by donating to the list of organizations on the APA website. Please note that recently, the US Congress passed legislation that allows donors who make a gift for disaster relief to benefit Haïti before March 1, 2010 to deduct such contributions on their 2009 federal taxes.
Collaboration with the AMHE (Associations des Médecins Haïtien a l'Etranger-the Association of Haïtian Physicians Abroad). AMHE has asked me to serve as liaison to help coordinate the pediatric efforts with the APA and the AAP.
Membership in the International Pediatric Association which is an organization of organizations involving countries who are in pursuit of improvement of the health status of children all over the world. The 26th IPA Congress of Pediatrics will take place in South Africa August 4-9, 2010 and the APA board voted in November 2009 to send a representative.
Our efforts in global health are just beginning. My post presidential year will be devoted to creating a broad global child health agenda for the APA, one that is linked to our commitment to underserved populations here in the United States. I ask that you join with me by sharing your ideas, attending the International Health SIG session at the PAS meeting and the State of the Art Plenary.
Danielle Laraque
President
Academic Pediatric Association
danielle.laraque@mssm.edu
