Maintain and provide core public health services, as well as enhance infrastructure support for disease control and prevention safeguards the border, Texas and the rest of the nation. However, each year, public health resources have remained at level or reduced for core public health services.

Laredo, like other border communities, has developed models of excellence and best practices in several core public health services. Only in this manner has the City been able to protect against serious diseases, such as tuberculosis, dengue fever, Hepatitis A, diarrhea and typhoid, which at one time, plagued the community. Yet, Laredo continues to be measured by national standards. We are the only city with 100% age appropriate immunization coverage for children 2 years and younger. For Laredo, however, a bi-national community that grows two fold day by day, it is essential that the City be measured on its evident growth and the international significance of that growth, especially as it relates to security and public health protection.

With this continued growth, and especially after the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), commerce and border crossings have continued to increase in Laredo. The City has had to bear the responsibility and challenge of meeting increased and new social, economic and health care needs of an ever-growing bi-national community that is already burdened with an inadequate social and public health infrastructure. The bi-national threat of vector borne and other infectious diseases remains imminent (especially tuberculosis and Hepatitis A, B and C in adults, as well as rabies and vector control) and poses a serious concern. In addition, the nature of being a border community warrants cooperation for disease control because disease does not respect borders. When Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, Laredo’s sister city across the river, coughs, Laredo gets the cold and vice versa. That is why this area is known as Los Dos Laredos.

To meet these challenges, the City of Laredo’s Health Department (CLHD) has developed best practices that should be replicated for prevention and wellness and consequently reduce acute care needs. Through these best practices, the CLHD has made a positive impact on the quality of life. Therefore the need to support core public health services is even more critical.

None. We continue to face severe budget reductions and the financial burden for outbreaks and the lack of disease control is in millions. Resources should specifically target enhanced border health issues.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)