Brazil now has its own Knowledge Center on Public Health and Disasters. Based on the Pan American Health Organization’s Knowledge Center—available in English and Spanish—the Portuguese version of the site has been developed by the Sergio Arauca National School of Public Health (ENSP, by its Spanish acronym). The new site is the result of close collaboration between the ENSP, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ) and PAHO/WHO. The Portuguese version of the Knowledge Center has been adapted for Brazil, and takes the main concepts of the original site and incorporates scientific production, guides and manuals that Brazil has produced in this area.
In addition, the website offers access to the knowledge, information and experiences of other FIOCRUZ units, national and international education and research institutions, the Ministry of Health, the state and municipal health secretariats as well as other governmental sectors and other entities related to this field.
According to Carlos Machado de Freitas, coordinator of the Study and Research Center for Emergencies and Disasters (CEPEDES), the objective of this initiative is to organize and make available the knowledge produced in Brazil and Latin America in the field of public health and disasters. “We have translated the PAHO website and we have adapted it to our reality. Brazil becomes the first country to produce a specific website about its reality in this field,” he added.
The Knowledge Center was launched at the end of December, through a videoconference with representatives of the National School of Public Health, FIOCRUZ, the Pan American Health Organization and the Brazilian Ministry of Health, among others.
Visit www.ensp.fiocruz.br/desastres to become familiar with the Portuguese Knowledge Center on Public Health and Disasters.