Search Results for: COVID-19

Fiocruz celebrates 120 years of foundation on May 25, 2020. Linked to Brazil’s Ministry of Health (MS), it is one of the most outstanding health science and technology institutions in Latin America, internationally recognized for its excellence in Research and Development. BIREME recognizes its longstanding historical relationship of technical cooperation with the Foundation, which has given rise to numerous events, projects and products in information and knowledge management, with several of its institutes.

Evidence Map is an emerging method of knowledge translation that aims to synthesize, identify, describe, and characterize the scientific evidence that exists for a specific topic or health condition. Recently, BIREME adopted and adapted this methodology to systematize and facilitate access to available evidence on the clinical applicability of Integrative and Complementary Health Practices (ICPs), as well as identify gaps in knowledge in this area. Preliminary results point to the usability of certain integrative practices in the treatment of COVID-19, which are already being recommended by the National Health Council.

With the advancement of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distance and isolation, teleworking has become the way to maintain the development of BIREME’s activities, and especially with the support of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) that also require Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and continued support and guidance to its employees and users. Several simple ideas can make work less tiring and more enjoyable. Several tools that enable conversations, meetings and even events are being used and improved. In addition, office tools such as text editors and spreadsheets can also be used in the cloud, meaning that no very sophisticated equipment is needed for the user to be able to develop their activities even when they are in a residential environment. You just need an Internet connection.

PAHO/WHO, through the Department of Health Services (HSS), which integrates the Department of Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health (EIH/PAHO), promoted a Webinar on May 19th, as part of the 2020 celebrations as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, defined by the WHO.

On April 21^st, El Salvador formally joined the e-BlueInfo mobile application, becoming the fourth country in the Americas to do so, 16 months after its launch, alongside Peru, Guatemala and Brazil. The APP e-BlueInfo is an Information Platform for Health Practice that puts information in the palm of healthcare professionals developed by BIREME/PAHO/WHO.

World Health Day is celebrated every year on April 7, to commemorate the founding of the World Health Organization and to raise awareness of health-related issues. The theme of this year’s celebration is nursing professionals and all health teams, for their heroic dedication and sacrifice in the global fight to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

BIREME completes 53 years of uninterrupted activity as a Specialized Center of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO). Its presence in the Region continues to be strengthened through the execution of its Biannual Work Plan 2020-2021 (PTB 20-21). Even in the current contingency due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the plan continues to be implemented by supporting local health authorities with administrative and technical cooperation actions.

The coordinators of Virtual Health Library (VHL) instances of Latin America and the Caribbean (LA&C) and BIREME discuss and define an Action Plan for the year 2020, with the main objective of strengthening the Network and meeting the countries’ needs.

Under the theme “It’s time for action. End TB”, a campaign for World Tuberculosis Day 2020 aims to urgently accelerate the response to the disease to save lives and reduce its impact worldwide. BIREME gathers relevant and updated information on tuberculosis, spotlighting the theme of the campaign, promoting direct access to reference documents from the Virtual Health Library such as plans, strategies and guidelines for combating and controlling the disease.