In September 2019, collaborators from the Administration and Planning Management (GA) of BIREME participated at events on Administration and Procurement, which contributed to the development of collective and individual competences, and, consequently, collaborated with the efficiency of management and administration activities, as well as with the Center’s operations, effectively contributing with the implementation of its technical cooperation program in the Region.
In context, it is worth highlighting that the Virtual Health Library (VHL), its information sources, such as the Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS), Descriptors in Health Sciences (DeCS) and Regional Networks characterize BIREME’s technical cooperation activities, which is constantly receiving feedback and being improved by inputs from members of its Governance Committees: the Advisory Committee (AC) regarding the institutional framework and biannual work plans, and the Scientific Committee (SC) for its projects, products and service on scientific information. In this sense, the Center’s Administration and Management must be very effective in order to contribute to the sustainability of BIREME/PAHO/WHO.
The PAHO/WHO Administrators Conference was held at the Organization’s Headquarters in Washington D.C./U.S.A., on September 16-19, 2019. BIREME and the Center’s administrative team were represented by Silvia de Valentin, GA Manager. The main objective of the conference was to review the development situation of policies, procedures and administrative tools concerning the responsibility services of the PAHO/WHO Administrators and Administration Focal Points of Country Offices, Center and Headquarters. In addition to the Areas of administrative responsibility, topics were shared (led by those responsible) on Coordination of Countries Support, Ethics and Research, Preparedness and Health Emergencies, Resource Mobilization, and Program and Budget, among others.
Between September 9 and 13 of the current year, in Panama City, Panama, the Regional Training on Operational Excellence in Procurement was held. Carlos Lucas Rodrigues, Purchaser (GA) and Marcia Barreto, ITI/GA Coordinator, represented BIREME and the GA Management. The event allowed for the exchange of information, knowledge and practices on policies, purchase and acquisition tools, and on how to apply excellence in the acquisition process in order to provide added value to users and institutional partners.
The events were very important for exchanging with PAHO/WHO collaborators in the countries and in PAHO/WHO Headquarters, allowing for the development of competences, which will result in a better performance on behalf of the professionals, through institutional alignment, in favor of the management and technical cooperation of BIREME and of the whole Organization, stated Silvia de Valentin, GA Manager. Her declaration was supported by comments and positive feedback from Marcia and Carlos, all three actives in the GA Management at BIREME.
Dr. Diego González Machín, who supports and constantly promotes the participation of the Center’s collaborators in training activities, emphasized the importance and impact of these activities in BIREME’s performance, both in its technical cooperation activities and in its institutional alignment to the politics, procedures and the Organizations’s priorities, always considering the strengthening of quality relations with supporters, users and also providers.
The events were coordinated by the Direction of Administration and its Department Directors: Procurement and Contracts, Finance, Infrastructure and Information Technology, Human Resources and General Services. The Administrative Management is one of the instances of PAHO/WHO Executive Management which is responsible for the areas of administration and operations in the Country Offices and Centers, that facilitates and enables the implementation of the technical cooperation programs of these instances.