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MEDIA CENTER Population Council Staff to Discuss African Health Issues and Disseminate Council Information at Grand Central Station Exhibit NEW YORK (12 February 2004) — The Population Council will join more than 50 not-for-profit and commercial organizations in observing Africa Health Day. The commemoration will include events held during a 72-hour period in New York City. Council staff will distribute information and materials at a public exhibition in Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall at booth #211 (hours: Thursday February 19th 8:30 am–7:30 pm and Friday February 20th 8:30 am–6:00 pm). The goal of Africa Health Day is to provide the public with a more comprehensive picture of the African continent than generally exists in the United States. Africa is sometimes perceived as a land of relentless humanitarian emergencies caused by political instability, disease, famine, and war. However, this assessment fails to recognize the many positive initiatives in Africa that have resulted in improved health conditions. The Vanderbilt Hall exhibition is expected to attract thousands of visitors to Grand Central Terminal, the busiest transit hub in metropolitan New York. The event kicks off on February 18th with a reception hosted by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) regional director for Africa, Dr. Ebrahim Malick Samba. Samba will be joined by the U.S. Ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council, Sichan Siv, other government dignitaries, and celebrities such as actor Danny Glover and basketball star Dikembe Mutombo. On February 19th WHO will sponsor at the United Nations on "Collaboration with Civil Society and Private Sector to Make a Difference in Health Development in Africa." A discussion will be moderated by Ambassador Martin Anjaba of Namibia.
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