Project strengthens public health knowledge management in the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil
The third phase of the technical cooperation project between the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), through BIREME, and the Municipal Health Secretariat of São Paulo, Brazil (SMS-SP), ended in the first half of 2025 with significant advances in the maintenance and innovation of the Virtual Health Library of the Municipal Health Secretariat of São Paulo (SMS-SP VHL). The period was marked by the delivery of the established goals on schedule, consolidating the VHL as a strategic tool for information management and decision support in the municipal Unified Health System (SUS).
Renovation and modernization of the SMS-SP VHL Portal
Among the noteworthy actions is the restructuring of the SMS-SP VHL portal, with improvements in its usability, information architecture and design. The changes were guided by the demands of the Municipal Health School (Escola Municipal da Saúde – EMS) team. New sections and content were proposed, such as the inclusion of two new information sources: Second Formative Opinion (Segunda Opinião Formativa) and the Wolters Kluwer Health Library, a digital platform that brings together educational and clinical content in various health specialties, thus expanding access to qualified and diversified content, strengthening scientific output, health decision support, and public policy formulation. The implementation of thematic areas to facilitate access to scientific and technical information was also discussed. Three priority areas were initially defined: Occupational Health, Educational Action, and Dermatology. In addition, the SMS-SP VHL Network section gives visibility to the collaboration network, strengthening institutional engagement, the legitimacy of the initiative, and the value of collaborative work in the production and dissemination of health information.
Strengthening the collaboration network and technical training
The actions carried out with the SMS-SP VHL collaboration network are another highlight of the semester. Meetings with governance bodies, such as the one held in February 2025, reinforced the strategic role of the VHL in valuing the scientific and technical production of the Secretariat. BIREME also participated in and supported the organization of the 1st Symposium “The Panorama of Health Education in the Municipality of São Paulo,” with lectures on artificial intelligence, research ethics, and new tools to support science.
The in-person training sessions held within the scope of the SMS-SP VHL involved several professionals from the technical areas of the SMS-SP, with a focus on strengthening information management skills. The training focused on the management and updating of the SMS-SP VHL databases. It addressed topics ranging from criteria for document selection to the use of the FI-Admin platform for the registration and publication of different types of materials, such as technical reports, scientific articles, papers presented at conferences, legislation, and multimedia content. A specific workshop on experience reports reinforced the value of sharing good practices in public health as a way to increase the visibility of successful actions in the municipality. The workshop on Windows of Knowledge aimed at training participants in the curation and thematic organization of content, promoting the dissemination of information aligned with local health priorities.
Experience reports and knowledge showcases increase visibility and access
During this period, eight new experience reports were finalized and published, covering topics ranging from regional planning to initiatives such as “Bat Day” and the history of COREMU. The entire process—from recording to editing and publication—was technically supported by BIREME’s team, with a focus on methodological standardization, editorial quality, and valuing experiences and the authors.
The Windows of Knowledge gained prominence in the last year of the project, becoming an important tool for valuing and increasing the visibility of the actions developed by the technical areas of SMS-SP. The growing interest of the teams resulted in the creation of new themes, leading to a workshop in April 2025 that trained professionals to develop and maintain Windows of Knowledge aligned with institutional priorities.
The Window of Knowledge on Primary Health Care was developed by BIREME within the scope of the project, in conjunction with experts on the topic, and presents the structure, programs, and guidelines of Primary Care in the municipality of São Paulo, aimed at health professionals and the general public, highlighting comprehensive care actions carried out by multidisciplinary teams in defined territories. Following the workshop, new Windows of Knowledge started to be developed by people from interested areas, also with the participation of specialists, such as those on Zoonosis Surveillance (WoK already published), COREME HSPM, and Pain Care Line, strengthening the local capacity for content curation and the dissemination of strategic information on public health.
Prospects for Phase IV: continuity, expansion, and internationalization
The conclusion of Phase III marks not only the end of a cycle with deliverables, expressed in the development and qualification of various health information products, but also paves the way for the renewal of the project through Phase IV, currently in progress with the Escola Municipal da Saúde. The new phase incorporates the prospect of internationalizing the actions of the SMS-SP VHL, with the proposal to integrate its successful experiences into regional knowledge networks, promoting technical exchange, expanding the international visibility of the Secretariat’s scientific output, and alignment with initiatives developed in other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.