County joins with Mexico to teach immigrants about health care

Another case where the Mexican government is helping their people who live in the U.S. DP

By GENEVIEVE BOOKWALTER, SENTINEL STAFF WRITER

SantaCruzSentinel.com: Diabetes screenings, blood pressure readings and a dance contest are just some of the events planned for Santa Cruz County's first Binational Health Week next week.

Sponsored jointly by the Mexican and United States governments, the program aims to help immigrants detect and prevent disease.

"Walls might be built on our common border, but still we have responsibilities toward the migrants," Bruno Figueroa, the Mexican consul general based in San Jose, said during Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting.

In previous years, Binational Health Week has been held the second week in October around California, the United States and Mexico. During that week, federal, state and local governments sponsor programs on disease prevention and living healthy as a Mexican immigrant in the United States. Participants in the Santa Cruz County event can test for diseases, enroll in low-cost or free health services, listen to health seminars and learn more about how the American emergency medical system works.

One health fair will be held near the Watsonville Farmers Market on Friday, Oct. 13, at Main and Peck streets, so shoppers can stop by and learn more about their health, too.
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