At the biannual meeting of Cooperation Agreement 95, BIREME/PAHO/WHO and CCGDI/Ministry of Health of Brazil highlighted strategic advances in technological innovation, strengthening of the Brazil VHL Network, and development of the COVID-19 Pandemic Memorial Portal. The results reinforce the role of technical cooperation in modernizing health information systems and expanding access to scientific output in the country.
BIREME and SESAI/MS are making progress in the development of the Indigenous Peoples Virtual Health Library, a strategic initiative to gather, organize, and disseminate reliable information on the health of Brazil’s indigenous peoples. Scheduled to be launched in October 2025, the VHL will integrate scientific and technical content, a Window of Knowledge, and a timeline with historical milestones of SasiSUS, contributing to the strengthening of information management, health equity, and the appreciation of the cultural diversity of indigenous peoples throughout the national territory.
The TCIM Americas VHL was highlighted by the WHO as an example of the use of artificial intelligence for management, preservation, and expansion of access to technical and scientific knowledge on traditional health practices. The initiative was cited in a technical publication that maps emerging applications of AI in traditional medicine around the world. In the same field of innovation, BIREME coordinates the WHO Traditional Medicines Global Library, which in 2025 started to incorporate resources such as conversational assistants and thematic Super Abstracts of bibliographic records.
The first half of 2025 marked a period of progress for three strategic initiatives under TC157 technical cooperation agreement, led by BIREME in partnership with the Secretariat of Information and Digital Health (SEIDIGI/MS): Brazil’s Unified Health System – SUS Digital Platform, Decision Support, and Second Opinion Training. These initiatives combine technological innovation, participatory methodologies, and service integration that contribute to SUS’ digital transformation.
In the first half of 2025, the program strengthened regional cooperation with 14 webinars that brought together more than 2,500 participants from 36 countries. The meetings discussed innovation in information products, editorial ethics, indexing, and the use of artificial intelligence in health. The agenda continues until December, including the celebration of LILACS’ 40th anniversary.
In 2025, World Breastfeeding Week will mobilize governments, health professionals, and civil society around the theme “Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create sustainable support systems”. The campaign reinforces breastfeeding as an essential collective action for public health, equity, and human development, with a global goal of achieving 70% exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life by 2030. BIREME supports the initiative with informational resources such as the Breastfeeding Knowledge Showcase and descriptors in DeCS, expanding access to qualified evidence for the promotion and protection of the practice.
BIREME inaugurates an institutional panel that reconfigures its entrance hall as a space for contact with its identity, history, and vision for the future. The graphic installation highlights milestones in digital transformation, recognizes stakeholders and institutions that are part of its cooperation network and highlights the Center’s commitment to its mission of promoting equity in access to scientific and technical information on health.
The first semester of 2025 was marked by important results for BIREME/PAHO/WHO, within the framework of its 2024–2025 Biennial Work Plan and the 2023–2025 Strategy, focused on digital transformation, innovation, and institutional strengthening. This edition of the BIREME Bulletin presents the 10 main highlights of the semester, reflecting the Center’s commitment to supporting countries in the Region through the use of information and knowledge for health decision-making.
With a focus on regional integration and visibility of scientific production in health, highlights include the updating of portals in Brazil, Ecuador, and El Salvador; the creation of the LIDOCS database in the Dominican Republic; and the resumption of activities in Venezuela, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Mozambique. Contributions to information sources exceeded 80,000 records processed by cooperating centers in 23 countries.
The Phase III of the technical cooperation project between PAHO/WHO, through BIREME, and the Municipal Health Secretariat of São Paulo ended last June, delivering significant advances in the SMS-SP VHL. The initiative strengthened information management and decision support within the municipal SUS. It also promoted technical training, collaboration, and the visibility of local public health initiatives, paving the way for its internationalization in Phase IV.