On August 4th, 2017, Gerald Anderson, Director of Administration (AM) of PAHO/WHO, was at BIREME/PAHO/WHO, where he visited the new facilities of the Center and participated in internal meetings, and remotely with other Directors at the Headquarters. Silvia de Valentin, BIREME Administrator pointed out that the program was very dynamic and important for strengthening the administrative and institutional management of the Center, which celebrates its 50th Anniversary, in 2017, in favor of equal access to scientific and technical health information in countries of the Region.
Mr. Anderson visited BIREME in August 2015, when it was still in the previous facilities. He led an administrative mission whose deliberate recommendations were significant for greater effectiveness of the Center’s operation. As from 2010, BIREME has a Statute and two instances of Governance – the Advisory and the Scientific Committees – that guarantee the regional nature of the Center’s activities in Latin American and the Caribbean.
Initiating the program at BIREME, its Director, Diego González MachĂn, with the participation of the Administrative and Technical Managers, presented the current situation and the main achievements and challenges of the Center, focusing on the actions carried out in the Latin America and Caribbean countries. This generated a positive discussion about the results reached and future perspectives. Next, a guided tour was made throughout the building, especially on the floor where BIREME is established, to visit its main characteristics and facilities opened on February 1st, 2017. Dr. Francisco Becerra, Deputy Director of PAHO/WHO and Interim Director of the KBR, former directors of BIREME, national authorities and collaborators participated in the opening ceremony.
Later, meetings with the Administration Department Directors were held at the Headquarters in order to share information and knowledge, and especially to define referrals of the ongoing processes related to personnel management and development, information technology infrastructure, general services, and events, among others. The Administrator Silvia de Valentin, along with the participation of all administrative team of BIREME, presented the main administrative and management conquests of the Center during the 2016-2017 biennium. Verónica Ortiz, specialist in administrative operations, participated on-line.
Finally, Mr. Anderson participated in a meeting with the entire BIREME team and in this activity Dr. Francisco Becerra (AD) participated remotely. Both recognized the achievements of the Center, its importance, and institutional role. “The new institutional mark and the new facilities characterize and recognize the specificities of its governance and operation that have been maintained sustainable for five decades, especially due to the cooperative work among 37 countries and 2000 organizations in and out of the Region”, declared Diego Gonzalez, Director of BIREME.
Bogota, Colombia – previous actions
On July 13, 2017, in Bogota, Colombia, the AM and the team of administrative advisors led the Institutional Risk and Compliance Workshop, in which the related principles, processes and systems were shared, besides the most recent developments. The event ended with recommendations for a guide for the next 2018-2019 biennium. Before this workshop, the 3rd Meeting of the PAHO/WHO Program Management Network led by PBU/DD was held.
Finally, a meeting was held via Skype for business for all the team of PAHO/WHO Colombia and the Directors of the Department of Administration, at the PAHO/WHO headquarters. The activity was led by the AM and by Dr. Gina Watson, representative in the country. The meeting at BIREME followed the same dynamics and was successful.
Silvia de Valentin, Administrator, was present at the events and her primary commitment consists in supporting the effective implementation of the policies, procedures, and operation of the respective technological systems at BIREME, with the understanding and participation of the team at the Center.
These activities also are a part of the celebrations of the 50 years of BIREME, to rejoice its existence and history. Its present and past leaders, its institutional partners, its team, and all who supported its trajectory were acknowledged on this occasion. We invite all to access the 50th Anniversary hotsite and leave a testimony by text or video recording.