During the 59th MEDTROP Congress, held in São Paulo in September 23-25, BIREME coordinated a series of presentations as part of the program of the PAHO Brazil booth. Throughout the three-day event, the BIREME team presented the public with important tools for accessing and using scientific and technical information, such as EVID@Easy, the Windows of Knowledge and DeCS, BIREME’s controlled multilingual terminology.
With an expository session each day, BIREME dialogued with participants about information products and services selected to support research and evidence-based decision-making on the main topics of interest to congress participants. The presentations were aimed at managers, researchers and health professionals, addressing issues for tackling tropical and neglected diseases. In this edition, the debates were aligned with the “One Health” approach, which integrates human, animal and environmental health — the Congress’ central topic.
The concept of “One Health” was formalized by the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2008, through the “One World, One Health” initiative. The term recognizes the interdependence between human, animal and environmental health, proposing an integrated approach to tackling global health challenges such as zoonoses and pandemics. The approach has been consolidating its relevance especially in the context of preventing emerging diseases and mitigating the impacts of environmental changes on public health.
BIREME Terminology: multilingualism and information retrieval
Opening the series of presentations on September 23, Ana Cristina Campos, an information analyst at BIREME’s Health Terminologies and Classifications Unit, highlighted the role of BIREME’s Terminology, which facilitates the retrieval of scientific literature in four languages. DeCS (Health Sciences Descriptors) is a multilingual vocabulary that organizes terms into subject hierarchies, allowing the search for terms for precise and efficient indexing of scientific content. This tool is key for the development of evidence-informed policies and the dissemination of technical knowledge on tropical and neglected diseases in Latin America and the Caribbean. (inserir link).
Windows of Knowledge: access to scientific information on tropical and neglected diseases
On September 24, Laís Aparecida da Silva, Information Sources librarian, presented the thematic Windows of Knowledge as dynamic tools that organize and highlight scientific information on priority health topics. The Window of Knowledge “Neglected Infectious Diseases” brings together recent data, reports, guidelines and policies, among other relevant resources, offering a user-friendly interface that is continually updated. It is a product designed to facilitate access to reliable information for health professionals, managers and researchers, promoting the circulation of knowledge and its application in decision-making.
EVID@Easy: guided search for evidence
Closing BIREME’s program at MEDTROP 2024, on September 25, Sueli Mitiko Yano Suga, Supervisor of Referential Information Sources, presented the EVID@Easy tool, an innovative platform that offers a guided search for evidence on a range of health topics, including a specific trail for neglected diseases. EVID@Easy follows scripts of questions that help users build a search strategy in the VHL. Step by step, health problems are defined, response needs or options for managing a disease are identified, and the methods and expected results of the search are defined. Developed using strategies validated by experts in bibliographic research and health policies, EVID@Easy contributes to tackling challenges such as infodemia and disinformation, promoting informed decisions based on scientific evidence. (inserir link)
MEDTROP 2024: a benchmark event for tropical health
MEDTROP is a multi-professional event that brings together representatives of government bodies, physicians, researchers, health professionals, and students to discuss the main challenges related to tropical diseases, such as Chagas disease, malaria, schistosomiasis, leprosy, tuberculosis, leptospirosis, and dengue. The congress plays a strategic role in linking Primary Health Care and health surveillance, promoting integrality in the SUS. It also highlights the importance of health promotion, which reduces vulnerabilities and inequalities and is a determining factor in the fight against tropical diseases.
With a focus on the unified approach to human, animal and environmental health, and highlighting the need for integrated strategies to tackle the main public health challenges, the tools presented by BIREME during the event are clear examples of how scientific information can support strategic decisions and improve the results of health care and systems, reflecting PAHO’s ongoing commitment to providing effective and innovative responses. BIREME’s participation in MEDTROP 2024 contributes to strengthening the partnership between PAHO Brazil and the Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicine (SBMT), in support of the Congress.
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