University of Texas School of Public Health

The WHO collaborating centre in occupational health at The University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston, Texas, USA, was originally designated as a collaborating centre in 1986, and most recently re-designated in 2008.  In 2006, we received funding from the Fogarty International Centre for a new training program in injury prevention, with an emphasis on traffic-related injuries (both occupational and non-occupational). 

Partnership with PAHO

Since the founding of the Global Network of Collaborating Centres in 1992, the Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (SWCOEH) has been actively supporting the objectives of the WHO Global Plan of Action on Workers' Health through capacity-building for professionals in occupational health in Latin America and research of occupational hazards of health care workers.

• The SWCOEH also provides financial and technical expertise by supporting in-country research, mostly in Colombia, Central America, and Venezuela.

• Members of our team  also help train students and others on occupational health by providing financial and technical support of both short- and long-term (graduate) training, completed either in-country or in Houston.

• The SWCOEH supports the development and dissemination of Spanish-language peer-reviewed scientific journals in occupational health in the Americas.

• At the national level, the SWCOEH has provided guidance to the government, and developed activities centered on occupational hazards of health care workers and occupational health of refinery workers.

• Recently, the SWCOEH participated in specific task forces and work groups that make up the 2006-2010 Work Plan of Collaborating Centers in Occupational Health.