Photograph by Will Schermerhorn
Photograph by Will Schermerhorn
On October 12th, the Particular Olympics IV Latin American Video games concluded in Asunción, Paraguay, capping off an inspiring week of athletic achievement and well being screenings. The Video games showcased over 1,000 regional athletes, with over 5,000 well being screenings carried out throughout seven Particular Olympics Wholesome Athletes® disciplines.
Past the availability of screenings and assistive units on-site, the Video games additionally offered a possibility to acknowledge and rejoice the continuing influence that host nation Paraguay is making to make sure individuals with mental and developmental disabilities (IDD) obtain entry to high-quality healthcare, year-round. This was evident within the renewed partnership settlement signed between the Ministry of Well being of the Republic of Paraguay and Particular Olympics Paraguay on the Wholesome Athletes ribbon-cutting ceremony. Through the ceremony, Well being Coordinator for Particular Olympics Paraguay, Roberto de la Cueva was awarded the celebrated Golisano Well being Management Award for his tireless efforts to advertise well being fairness throughout the nation.
“I’m a agency believer that the ethical material of any society is finest assessed by how they take care of essentially the most weak individuals amongst them, and there’s no extra weak group than individuals with mental and developmental disabilities. I’m very happy by what I’ve seen in Paraguay… Thanks for being a pacesetter for Latin America and for the world in bettering the well being and equality for individuals with IDD.”
Dr. Dimitri Christakis, Particular Olympics Chief Well being Officer
Extending past Latin America alone, the Video games additionally amplified the position that sport can play in reaching the worldwide Sustainable Improvement Targets, together with SDG 3 – Good Well being and Nicely-being. As a part of the Latin American Video games, Paraguay hosted the Worldwide Discussion board on Sports activities for Improvement, an occasion that known as for recognizing the transformative energy of sports activities in selling social inclusion, well being, schooling, and well-being for people with IDD.
Dr. Dimitri Christakis, Particular Olympics Chief Well being Officer, spoke on the Discussion board, joined by key regional leaders, together with H.E. Lucrecia Eugenia Peinado Villanueva, First Girl of the Republic of Guatemala; H.E. María Teresa Baharán, Minister of Well being of the Republic of Paraguay; and Fabricio Oliveira, President of Lions Membership Worldwide from Brazil. All through the panel, Dr. Christakis spotlighted the Rosemary Collaboratory and emphasised its contribution to constructing and bolstering inclusive well being programs.
Photograph by Will Schermerhorn
“Healthcare insurance policies and healthcare supply programs are a key driver within the well being disparities that individuals with mental and developmental disabilities face. I need to commend all 8 taking part nations, together with Paraguay, which have undertaken the essential work of investigating how effectively their well being system treats individuals with IDD and figuring out the place there’s room for enchancment and demonstrable change.”
Dr. Dimitri Christakis, Particular Olympics Chief Well being Officer
The findings of the assessments from the 11 Rosemary Collaboratory websites throughout eight nations will function in a International Report on Mental and Developmental Disabilities that Particular Olympics will launch in 2025.