The Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Science Information (BIREME) has inaugurated its new facilities on February 1, 2017, in a ceremony held by the Director, Dr. Diego González Machín, the Assistant Director of PAHO/WHO and Interim Director of Knowledge Management, Bioethics and Research, KBR), Dr. Francisco Becerra, representing the Director of the Organization and the PAHO/WHO Representative in Brazil, Dr. Joaquín Molina. The Director of the Pan American Foot-and-Mouth Disease Center (Panaftosa), Dr. Ottorino Cosivi, was also present, as well as institutional supporters, such as the State and Municipal Health Secretaries of São Paulo, the Associação Paulista para o Desenvolvimento da Medicina (SPDM), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), former directors of the Center and guests.
Dr. Becerra and Dr. Molina acknowledged BIREME’s contribution to the democratization of access to scientific and technical health information and congratulated the Center’s collaborators
on the inauguration of the new facilities when it celebrates its 50th Anniversary, after almost 50 years in a University Campus in the city of São Paulo.
According to Mrs. Lilian Schiavon (Director of the Documentation Center and Coordinator of RIC VHL), representing Dr. Sueli Gonsalez Saes (Executive Secretary of CCT&I – Saúde, Coordinator of RIC VHL and Director of Grupo de Planejamento e Incorporação de Tecnologias, São Paulo State Health Secretariat), “It is with great pleasure that the State Secretariat of Health of São Paulo, one of BIREME/PAHO/WHO signatory institutions since its inception in 1967, has been following its trajectory and working to managing and strengthening health information. This important partnership has provided over the years relevant results for the promotion and access to health information sources and, more recently, through the implementation of the Information and Knowledge Network VHL (Rede de Informação e Conhecimento VHL), which has just completed 10 years in 2016. As BIREME/PAHO/WHO inaugurates its new facilities and strengthens through its new governance and performance, SES-SP continues to support and cooperate in order to be part of this new trajectory, to work in order to strengthening and managing scientific an
d technical health information. The coordination of the Information and Knowledge Network VHL also expresses its support, wishes great success, offers its contribution in this new phase for the joint continuity of the services being developed, and acknowledges every moment of partnership that has facilitated its consolidation within the scope of this Secretariat, offering users and the scientific community new tools.”
The Director of BIREME congratulated and acknowledged the BIREME team and the support received from all of them during its term, which started at the end of July 2016. Dr. González pointed out how significant the presence of three ex -Directors of the Center, Dr. Célia Zaher, Mr. Abel Packer and Mr. Adalberto Tardelli was at the event, which shows how everyone, in different times, contributed to the development of this institution, which is close to celebrating its 50th Anniversary. Moreover, he acknowledged the Assistant Director of PAHO, the PAHO Representative in Brazil and the director of PANAFTOSA, and finally mentioned that all the work that BIREME develops would not be possible without the participation of partner institutions. The Director of BIREME mentioned those attending the event, and stated that they represent all Latin American and Caribbean institutions, which are part of the network of cooperating centers, which contribute to the success of BIREME.