BINATIONAL HEALTH WEEK. Rising unemployment rates and loss of health benefits are aggravating the plight of Latinos, the most uninsured population in the U.S. This week, a number of government agencies, universities, community-based organizations and health care providers are launching a multi-national campaign that includes medical screenings, vaccinations, health care referrals, and basic information for low-income Latinos. Speakers at the opening event in Zacatecas, Mexico, join this program to talk about this massive mobilization of volunteers. This program is the first in a special series to cover Binational Health Week 2008.

Invited guests: Dr. Miguel Angel Gonzalez Block, Executive director, Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica, Cuernavaca, MX; Margarita Escobar, Vice minister of Foreign Affairs, El Salvador; Dr. Xochitl Castaneda, Executive Director, Health Initiative of the Americas, University of California, Berkeley.

IMMIGRATION EDITION - DUE PROCESS. Attorney Rosalba Piña, an immigration law expert, joins this edition from Chicago to comment on recent bills to protect individuals who are wrongfully detained in immigration raids, ensure basic medical assistance while detained, and protect family unity. She also answers listener questions about the dos and don'ts when applying for residence and naturalization.

Guest: Laura Vazquez, Immigration legal analyst, National Council of La Raza, Washington, DC, www.nclr.org

MEXICO EDITION – THE RIGHT TO HEALTH. Mexico has a national health system that is said to advance the right to health for all. Yet, half of Mexican citizens are uninsured and many patients with public health insurance benefits prefer to pay out of their pockets for private care. Host Martha Elena Ramírez moderates a roundtable with public health officials and advocates exploring the availability of public health care facilities, the information provided to beneficiaries on how to access services, and the level of quality of facilities and health services in Mexico. This program is part of a series aired in conjunction with Binational Health Week 2008.

Guests: Congressman Ector Jaime Ramírez Barba, President, Health Commission, Mexican Congress, Mexico City; Blanca Lomelí, Regional Director for North America, Project Concern International, Project Yo Puedo Frenar la Tuberculosis, Tijuana, MX.

PROGRAM # 5581 13:00 PDT.

PUERTO RICO EDITION. In this pre-taped edition from San Juan, PR, WRTU’s Wanda Colón Cortés, brings news and analysis on major developments in the Caribbean basin.