Author: Lilian Callo

In 2021, the Virtual Health Library (VHL) Network established its priorities through an Action Plan aimed at strengthening the work in the network, following the model applied the previous year. The activities of the plan are based on the three pillars of the VHL (Institutions, Content, and Users), as well as the levels of maturity of the VHL instances. In total, 43 VHL instances will apply the maturity instrument and of these, 40 will adhere to the 2021 action plan.

The evaluation and selection process of Brazilian journals for the LILACS database is carried out annually, an activity in the context of TC93, between PAHO and the Ministry of Health of Brazil. The ad-hoc evaluation committee met on the 17^th of December, at the XXII Meeting of the LILACS Brazil Journal Evaluation and Selection Committee. Learn more about the process and outcome of this selection.

Through the TC71 between the General Coordination for the Surveillance of Diseases in Elimination (CGDE/DCCI/SVS) of the Ministry of Health and PAHO/WHO Brazil, through BIREME, public policies were developed for the surveillance and prevention of leprosy and other diseases in elimination recommended by SUS. On World Leprosy Day (which also raises awareness of other neglected diseases), observed on January 30, the products and services developed by BIREME with the support of TC71, such as the VHL Hansen’s Disease and the Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) Window of Knowledge, bring information and knowledge to health professionals, researchers, and the public.

The American Library Association awarded the prestigious “Choice” award to the World Health Organization (WHO) Research Database on COVID-19 (WHO COVID-19 Research Database) “in recognition of value, quality, and scope that would not have been possible without the tireless dedication and determination of those involved”. BIREME/PAHO/WHO has made a key contribution to the development of the global database of scientific literature on COVID-19, which uses the same platform developed by the Center for the Global Index Medicus.

Within the framework of the new technical cooperation agreement between PAHO/WHO to be carried out by BIREME/PAHO/OMS and the Municipal Health Secretariat of São Paulo, the Meeting of the VHL SMS São Paulo with the Municipal Health Care Network of São Paulo took place on December 9^th, which aimed to present the VHL SMS-SP and share with the network the Cooperation Agreement to strengthen the VHL SMS São Paulo.

Paraguay is the newest country with its own e-BlueInfo collection, joining Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Peru. On December 13^th, the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare, through the Directorate of Primary Health Care and the National Institute of Health in the role of National Coordinating Center of the Virtual Health Library in Paraguay, carried out the official launch of the e-BlueInfo application in the country.

The 21^st edition of the National Seminar on University Libraries (SNBU, in its Portuguese acronym) was held virtually on December 7^th to 10^th, under the theme “University Library: tradition, practices, and innovations” and had more than 500 participants and a varied scientific program, with representatives of libraries and institutions in the field of librarianship and information science. The Ministry of Health, in cooperation with BIREME/PAHO/WHO, had a virtual stand, covering the VHL Brazil and BiblioSUS networks, with a focus on methodologies, products, and services developed for the management, access, and dissemination of scientific and technical information in health.

Between 2021 and 2022, the Pan American Journal of Public Health will implement a series of actions to commemorate its 100 years of life, a special celebration to precede the 120^th anniversary of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and its continuous work in favor of health in the Americas. Learn about the history and evolution of the publication that began in 1922 as the Boletín Panamericano de Sanidad (Pan-American Health Bulletin) and is today one of the main Public Health journals in the Region. A commemorative website features historical articles, testimonies, a timeline, and relevant information about the official PAHO publication.

BIREME held its traditional end-of-year celebration virtually, for the second consecutive year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Per tradition, the main part of the event consists of the presentation by the acting Director and managers of the technical and administrative areas reporting the main results of the year. In addition, the activity “Our photos, our stories” was carried out, which aimed to bring people closer, and identify the positive moments experienced in 2021.

The World Health Organization, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization, held an event on the use of evidence to formulate public health policies that took place from November 15 to 17. In the context of the program, the Regional Network EVIPNet Americas convened, which met to discuss and assess the challenges facing Latin America and the Caribbean.