Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Research Articles

Strengthening regional governance and the health care network in small municipalities in BrazilFortalecimiento de la gobernanza regional y de la red de atención de salud en municipios pequeños de Brasil

In Brazil, 67.7% of the municipalities are characterized as small, with a population of less than 20 thousand. The objective of this article is to systematize the experience and identify the challenges and lessons learned in the implementation of the model for strengthening regional governance and organizing the health care network (HCN) in a region of Brazil composed of these municipalities, which present low technical and budgetary capacity, in addition to various fragilities related to the organization of the HCN. With a view to strengthening regional governance and the organization of the primary health care (PHC) work process and, consequently, the workflow with other levels of care, a strategy entitled More Care More Health (Mais Cuidado Mais Saúde) was proposed, developed in partnership with the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and the Ministry of Health. The project was developed through permanent health education and institutional capacity building in the region of Ivaiporã, state of Paraná, based on workshops and addressing three priority axes: HCN integration, capacity building and information management. The target audience were the extended PHC teams. The project made it possible to develop local and governance capacities through joint reflections on the health care model, its components and the necessary changes in work processes for health promotion with a focus on the quality of life of users. Because it is an experience that considers the weaknesses, needs and autonomy of local actors, the project has a high potential for replication and customization for other regions with similar characteristics inside and outside Brazil.

The BIGG-REC database makes available all WHO/PAHO evidence informed recommendations

ObjectivesTo build and maintain a living database of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) recommendations developed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Study Design and SettingGuidelines are identified from WHO and PAHO databases. We periodically extract recommendations, according to the health and well-being targets of sustainable development goal 3 (SDG-3). ResultsAs of March 2022, the International database of GRADE guidelines (https://bigg-rec.bvsalud.org/en) database hosted 2,682 recommendations contained in 285 WHO/PAHO guidelines. Recommendations were classified as follows: communicable diseases (1,581), children's health (1,182), universal health (1,171), sexual and reproductive health (910), noncommunicable diseases (677), maternal health (654), COVID-19 (224), use of psychoactive substances (99), tobacco (14) and road and traffic accidents (16). International database of GRADE guidelines allows searching by SDG-3, condition or disease, type of intervention, institution, year of publication, and age. ConclusionRecommendation maps provide an important resource for health professionals, organizations and member states that use evidence-informed guidance to make better decisions, providing a source for the adoption or adaptation of recommendations to meet their needs. This one-stop shop database of evidence-informed recommendations built with intuitive functionalities undoubtedly represents a long-needed tool for decision-makers, guideline developers, and the public at large.

An anti-infodemic virtual center for the Americas.

The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Anti-Infodemic Virtual Center for the Americas (AIVCA) is a project led by the Department of Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health, PAHO and the Center for Health Informatics, PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center on Information Systems for Health, at the University of Illinois, with the participation of PAHO staff and consultants across the region. Its goal is to develop a set of tools-pairing AI with human judgment-to help ministries of health and related health institutions respond to infodemics. Public health officials will learn about emerging threats detected by the center and get recommendations on how to respond. The virtual center is structured with three parallel teams: detection, evidence, and response. The detection team will employ a mixture of advanced search queries, machine learning, and other AI techniques to sift through more than 800 million new public social media posts per day to identify emerging infodemic threats in both English and Spanish. The evidence team will use the EasySearch federated search engine backed by AI, PAHO's knowledge management team, and the Librarian Reserve Corps to identify the most relevant authoritative sources. The response team will use a design approach to communicate recommended response strategies based on behavioural science, storytelling, and information design approaches.

Epistemic communities and the challenges of training health technicians during the COVID-19 pandemicComunidades epistémicas y retos en cuanto a la educación de los técnicos en salud durante la pandemia de COVID-19

This article discusses the role of the epistemic community linked to the training of health technicians through analysis of the actions initiated by the Pan-American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Collaborating Center for the education of these technicians during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the aim of comparing these actions with the main elements that define the constitution and functioning of epistemic communities according to the specialized literature. It is argued that, despite the differences in the historical configuration of national healthcare and training systems, the emergence of common challenges in the training of technicians allowed the articulation of demands, the sharing of diagnostic assessments, and the cooperation between the International Network of Health Technicians Education, the Ibero-American Network of Health Technicians Education, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries Network of Health Technician Schools, promoting the exchange of experiences, the search for strategic solutions, and the dissemination of recommendations across countries. By reaffirming the central role of health technicians in epidemiological surveillance, diagnosis and assistance, the COVID health emergency demanded immediate and consistent responses from governments and educational institutions, favoring the strengthening of the health technician epistemic community through the circulation of discourses and the hegemonization of meanings for the education of technicians. These actions, however, do not translate into stability or homogeneity for the epistemic community, since their articulation is always provisional and contingent, nor do they ensure the capacity to directly influence policies in each country.

Integrated approach for noncommunicable disease management in the Americas.

ABSTRACTAn overview of an integrated approach to improve noncommunicable disease (NCD) management is presented, along with tools on integrating NCD management as part of health system strengthening in the Americas. The study is based on an analysis of Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) data and publicly available information on NCD care and capacity, disruptions in NCD services, and guidance on NCD management. Gaps in NCD care are highlighted, in which an estimated 43.0% of men and 28.0% of women with hypertension in Latin America remain undiagnosed; and for those with diabetes, 32.8% in Central and South America are undiagnosed. Yet, only 17/35 countries (49%) in the Americas report having evidence-based national guidelines for NCD management through a primary care approach and only 7/35 countries (20%) report provision of drug therapy, including glycaemic control for eligible persons. To improve NCD management, an integrated approach is needed to coordinate and deliver care across the levels of the health system. This includes increasing primary care capacity and competencies to address multiple chronic conditions, and integration with other complementary programs to avoid missing opportunities for NCD diagnosis and management. An integrated approach to NCD management, and implementation of available tools, should be part of rebuilding health systems after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chagas disease control-surveillance in the Americas: the multinational initiatives and the practical impossibility of interrupting vector-borne Trypanosoma cruzi transmission.

Chagas disease (CD) still imposes a heavy burden on most Latin American countries. Vector-borne and mother-to-child transmission cause several thousand new infections per year, and at least 5 million people carry Trypanosoma cruzi. Access to diagnosis and medical care, however, is far from universal. Starting in the 1990s, CD-endemic countries and the Pan American Health Organization-World Health Organization (PAHO-WHO) launched a series of multinational initiatives for CD control-surveillance. An overview of the initiatives’ aims, achievements, and challenges reveals some key common themes that we discuss here in the context of the WHO 2030 goals for CD. Transmission of T. cruzi via blood transfusion and organ transplantation is effectively under control. T. cruzi, however, is a zoonotic pathogen with 100+ vector species widely spread across the Americas; interrupting vector-borne transmission seems therefore unfeasible. Stronger surveillance systems are, and will continue to be, needed to monitor and control CD. Prevention of vertical transmission demands boosting current efforts to screen pregnant and childbearing-aged women. Finally, integral patient care is a critical unmet need in most countries. The decades-long experience of the initiatives, in sum, hints at the practical impossibility of interrupting vector-borne T. cruzi transmission in the Americas. The concept of disease control seems to provide a more realistic description of what can in effect be achieved by 2030.

Intussusception in children under five years of age in Enugu, Nigeria.

Introductionintussusception is the invagination of a segment of the bowel into a distal segment. It occurs predominantly in infants worldwide. Following documentation of increased incidence after introduction of the first rotavirus vaccine (Rotashield, Wyeth-Lederle), it has become a standard recommendation to maintain surveillance for intussusception as newer rotavirus vaccines are introduced into EPI. Nigeria plans to introduce rotavirus vaccine in 2020. Pre-vaccine introduction surveillance will serve as a baseline to understand the epidemiology of intussusception in Nigeria.Methodsfrom 2013 to 2017, prospective enrolment of under five children with intussusception was done following the WHO protocol and using the WHO case report form. Only children who met the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) protocol case definition for intussusception were enrolled. These children were monitored until discharge or death. Clinical features and outcome were recorded in the case report form.Resultsa total of 63 cases were enrolled, with age range of 3 to 42 months (median: 6 months, IQR: 5-9 months). Majority were within 4-6 months and 96% were < 12 months old. There were 41 males and 22 females (male to female ratio of 1.9:1). Duration of symptoms before presentation ranged from 2 hours to 15 days (median: 72 hours). Fifty-seven patients had abdominal ultrasound and 52 patients (83%) had surgery. Case fatality rate was 9% and duration of hospitalization ranged from 1 to 30 days (median 10 days, IQR 8-15 days).Conclusionintussusception occurred most commonly in infants but well beyond the proposed age for rotavirus vaccination in the population studied. Late presentation and surgical intervention were common. This data provides a good baseline description of the epidemiology of intussusception.

New Health Sciences Descriptors to classify and retrieve information on equity.

ABSTRACTThe Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS) vocabulary establishes a unique and common language that allows the organization and facilitates the search and retrieval of technical and scientific literature on health available in the information sources of the Virtual Health Library. The DeCS, created by the Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information (BIREME), a specialized center of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), is the translation and extension of the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) vocabulary, maintained by the United States National Library of Medicine. BIREME, in coordination with experts from Latin America and the Caribbean, has included in the DeCS the topics of equity, gender, ethnicity and human rights—cross-cutting themes in the programmatic framework of PAHO/WHO technical cooperation—to ensure better retrieval and use of scientific information and evidence related to these topics. The objective of this article is to describe the methodology used during the terminology review of the DeCS and to report the results obtained and the impacts of the terminology expansion in the field of equity, which included the inclusion of 35 new descriptors.

Abstract 53: Promoting WHO's Cervical Cancer Elimination Goals ‘90-70-90' by Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating the ECHO Latin America (ECHO ELA) Program

Abstract Purpose: Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women in some countries in the Region of the Americas.1 Cervical cancer is preventable through HPV vaccination, screening and treatment of precancerous lesions, and can be effectively treated if diagnosed early.2 Methods: Under the framework of the Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem, the US National Cancer Institute (NCI), the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MD Anderson) and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) partnered to develop ECHO Latin America (ECHO ELA). ECHO ELA is modeled on Project ECHO® (Extension of Community Healthcare Outcomes) a hub-and-spoke knowledge-sharing approach where expert teams lead virtual didactic lectures and case discussions, amplifying the capacity for participants to deliver best practice programs to their regions. ECHO ELA consists of monthly, Spanish-language telementoring conferences about cervical cancer prevention and control. The program targets Ministries of Health, Immunization Program Managers and key cervical cancer stakeholders in Latin American (LA) countries. Its primary goal is to assist countries in reaching their WHO cervical cancer elimination goals “90-70-90:” vaccinating 90 percent of girls against HPV by the age of 15, screening 70 percent of women for cervical cancer at ages 35 and 45, and treating 90 percent of women diagnosed with pre-invasive cervical lesions or cervical cancer. Results: To date, 222 participants from 21 countries have registered. Seven sessions have been held averaging 93 participants per session. 85 participants completed the baseline survey addressing priorities, capacity, and desired outcomes. Baseline, mid-year evaluation results, within the COVID-19 context, and learned lessons will be presented. Conclusion: ECHO ELA is potentially an effective tool to convene participants from multiple countries to enhance collaboration and support countries' progress towards the elimination of cervical cancer in the Americas. Citation Format: Sandra L. San Miguel-Majors, Edward L. Trimble, Doug Lowy, Melissa Lopez-Varon, Ellen Baker, Kathleen Schmeler, Silvina Arrossi, Maria Tereza da Costa Oliveira, Mauricio Maza, Jane R. Montealegre, Mila P. Salcedo, Lucia Helena de Oliveira, Silvana Luciani. Promoting WHO's Cervical Cancer Elimination Goals ‘90-70-90' by Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating the ECHO Latin America (ECHO ELA) Program [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 9th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research; Global Cancer Research and Control: Looking Back and Charting a Path Forward; 2021 Mar 10-11. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2021;30(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 53.

Chronic Stress in Cognitive Processes: Cortisol Dynamic Range of Secretion Is Associated with Perception of Unsafety Environment in a Venezuelan Population.

Understanding diurnal secretion of cortisol in association with behavioral attitudes as a result of perception of unsafety environment is a main interest in prospective studies establishing the impact of chronic stress in cognitive processes. Adaptive secretion of cortisol, a biomarker of the hypothalamic-hypophysis-adrenal (HPA) axis, has been correlated with perception of uncertainty in surroundings as a consequence of perseverative cognition and unconscious thoughts. To determine whether diurnal secretion pattern of cortisol was associated with behavioral attitudes indexes generated from answers to standardized questionnaires from Panamerican Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) agencies. Saliva cortisol dynamic range was evaluated by immuno-essay. Cortisol awakening response (CAR) and total secreted cortisol was established in a cross-sectional study of four saliva samples per day from volunteers (n = 135) between 19 and 65 years old. Saliva cortisol dynamic range followed a significant decay along the day. Reduction of social interaction and increase of defensive behavioral attitude was associated with older groups of age. In this study, two subgroups of subjects with a steeper cortisol secretion (slope significant non-zero), and flatter cortisol secretion (slope no significant non-zero) were detected. Noticeable, we determined an association between measurements of cortisol secretion from subjects with a flatter cortisol dynamic range and behavioral defensive and inhibition of social interaction indexes. These findings suggested chronical dysregulation of HPA axis as a result of perseverative cognitive perception of unsafety environment which may be precedent to cognitive impairment in the population.

New Health Science Descriptors to classify and retrieve information on equity

RESUMENEl vocabulario Descriptores en Ciencias de la Salud (DeCS) establece un lenguaje único y común que permite la organización y facilita la búsqueda y recuperación de la literatura técnica y científica en salud disponible en las fuentes de información de la Biblioteca Virtual en Salud. El DeCS, creado por el Centro Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Información en Ciencias de la Salud (BIREME), un centro especializado de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud/Organización Mundial de la Salud (OPS/OMS), es la traducción y la extensión del vocabulario Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), mantenido por la National Library of Medicine de los Estados Unidos. BIREME, en coordinación con expertos de América Latina y el Caribe, ha incluido en el DeCS los temas de equidad, género, etnicidad y derechos humanos —temas transversales en el marco programático de la cooperación técnica de la OPS/OMS— para garantizar una mejor recuperación y uso de la información y evidencia científica relacionadas a estos temas. El objetivo de este artículo es describir el método de revisión terminológica del DeCS e informar los resultados obtenidos y los impactos de la ampliación terminológica en el área de equidad, que comprendió la inclusión de 35 nuevos descriptores.

Maternal health training priorities for nursing and allied health workers in Colombia, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo assess maternal health training priorities for primary care human resources for health (HRH) in nursing and allied health workers in Colombia, Honduras, and Nicaragua, to inform maternal care HRH strategic planning efforts.MethodsThis Washington, D.C.-based study utilized cross-sectional survey methodology to collect country-level data. From October 2016 to March 2017, a needs assessment tool was developed by the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centers. Data collection was completed by PAHO/WHO country offices, in collaboration with national health authorities and other high-level government personnel. The collected data included information on the composition, capacities, and training priorities of traditional birth attendants (TBAs), community health workers (CHWs), registered nurses (RNs), and auxiliary nurses in the three study countries; the findings were summarized in a report.ResultsData on the health workforce composition in the three countries indicated reliance on HRH with low levels of education and training, with limited integration of TBAs. In all three countries, management of obstetric emergencies was a training priority for RNs, and identification of danger signs was a priority for CHWs and TBAs. Training priorities for auxiliary nurses varied widely across the three countries and included health promotion, preconception and prenatal care, and obstetric emergencies. There was also a wide range in the total number of HRH across the three countries.ConclusionsReliance on health workers with low levels of training is concerning but can be mitigated through in-service training. Training priorities are consistent with the major causes of maternal mortality, and Latin America and Caribbean region training programs show promise for improving quality of care. In the long term, planning for maternal care HRH should seek to increase the concentration of health professionals that are more highly skilled.

Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centers in Nursing and Midwifery in Haiti.

ABSTRACTObjective.To describe partnerships that Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Collaborating Centers in Nursing and Midwifery have in Haiti, and their contribution to promoting universal health coverage in that country.Methods.In 2017, semistructured interviews were conducted by telephone or email to update the status of activities and collaborations that were mentioned in a 2016 report (which covered efforts prior to early 2016) by the office of the Regional Advisor on Nursing and Allied Health Personnel at PAHO/WHO. Using that information, two of the authors categorized the Collaborating Center activities into focal areas.Results.Six of the nine Collaborating Centers mentioned in the 2016 PAHO/WHO report participated in the 2017 semistructured interviews. The five focal areas identified were: 1) direct care/primary health care, 2) research, 3) workforce development, 4) curriculum development, and 5) shared educational activities.Conclusions.Current PAHO/WHO Nursing and Midwifery Collaborating Center partnerships in Haiti support universal health access and coverage through direct provision of care with ongoing Haiti-based clinics; research in topics relevant to Haitian partners; assistance with continuing education for nurses; and shared educational activities. These efforts are enhanced through partnerships with Haitian organizations and the Ministry of Public Health and Population. Coordination among PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centers could augment individual schools’ efforts to assist health providers and institutions in Haiti to improve health outcomes and support universal health coverage.

Information design in the Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO): The Regional meeting on research to support front-of-package labeling (FOPL) regulation

Information design in the Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO): The Regional meeting on research to support front-of-package labeling (FOPL) regulation

Cross-sectional study on the utilization of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Policy on Research for Health.

ABSTRACTThis report contributes towards the monitoring and evaluation of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Policy on Research for Health (CD49/10), specifically, how it has been used by Member States and how it has influenced their policies, strategies, research, and relevant stakeholders. This cross-sectional study examined the frequency, method of utilization, region of interest or “scope,” and rationale behind citing the Policy in PAHO/WHO documents, databases, government websites, and internal documents. The extent of utilization was measured through an ordinal scale; the country or region of interest was systematically extracted. Of the 993 documents that were identified through the search strategy, 95 met the inclusion criteria. There was a significant relationship between type of document and scope (χ2 = 69.5; P < 0.001), with web pages and scientific articles covering the Americas more frequently mentioning the Policy. The Policy was most often used at the country level in government documents and at the regional level in webpages and journal articles.Although the Policy has been utilized by several countries, many countries have yet to integrate it with their national health research initiatives. Additional research should focus on understanding why Policy utilization differs among countries. To promote better cohesion across sectors and levels of governance, researchers and policymakers should seize opportunities to integrate the Policy with the research process, research governance, and policy development. The protocol developed for this study can be applied to similar analyses of other PAHO/WHO policies to gain a greater understanding of their influence.

Sixteen years of primary health care monitoring in a large metropolis in the AmericasDieciséis años de monitoreo en salud en la atención primaria en una gran metrópolis de las Américas

RESUMOO presente artigo relata a institucionalização do monitoramento de indicadores sobre o desempenho da atenção primária à saúde (APS) em uma grande metrópole das Américas, com 7 milhões de usuários no sistema público de saúde. A partir da experiência de desenvolvimento e uso, há 16 anos, do Painel de Monitoramento da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de São Paulo, foi desenvolvido o Painel de Gestão da Atenção Básica, fornecendo um conjunto de indicadores selecionados sobre o comportamento desse nível de atenção ao longo do tempo. O Painel de Gestão foi incorporado à reorganização da governança, envolvendo dirigentes e técnicos dos diversos níveis, capacitados com um método de cogestão de organizações, com apoio da Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde/Organização Mundial da Saúde (OPAS/OMS). A experiência de uso desse Painel de Gestão aumentou também a efetividade na comunicação das informações do Painel de Monitoramento, apoiando a implementação de mudanças no modelo de organização para consolidar os atributos de acesso, longitudinalidade, integralidade e coordenação do cuidado na APS. A robustez da série histórica dos dados e o envolvimento dos implementadores dessa iniciativa fortaleceram a confiança das equipes na utilização das informações geradas. A metodologia de monitoramento captou mudanças no período em análise, orientando os envolvidos quanto às diferenças entre regiões intramunicipais. O monitoramento é prática que possibilita a utilização ágil e oportuna de dados secundários, fundamental para o enfrentamento dos problemas evidenciados.

Legislation on road safety in Mexico: a subnational analysisLegislação de segurança viária no México: uma análise subnacional

RESUMENObjetivo.Realizar um diagnóstico da regulamentação federal e estadual para determinar em que medida são cumpridas as recomendações de segurança viária com relação a diferentes fatores de risco e de proteção.Métodos.Foi conduzida uma análise descritiva das disposições jurídicas federais e das 32 entidades federativas do México em segurança viária. Foram identificadas as entidades que dispunham de regulamentação legal sobre os principais fatores de risco (excesso de velocidade, consumo de álcool antes de dirigir, uso de celular ao dirigir) e fatores de proteção para acidentes de trânsito (uso de capacete, cinto de segurança e dispositivos de retenção infantil) e analisada sua adequação segundo as recomendações da Organização Mundial da Saúde/Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde (OMS/OPAS). Além disso, são descritos os tipos de sanções aplicadas nestas disposições.Resultados.Quase 10% das entidades analisadas dispõem de legislação específica para os seis fatores de risco e de proteção analisados. Observou-se que o fator de risco “consumo de álcool antes de dirigir” e o fator de proteção “uso de capacete” são os mais frequentemente incluídos na legislação estadual. A legislação é adequada em apenas duas entidades federativas (estados): Zacatecas (velocidade de condução) e Jalisco (uso de cinto de segurança, dispositivos de retenção infantil e capacete). A sanção aplicada com maior frequência é a multa.Conclusões.É fundamental e prioritário promover uma legislação abrangente contendo disposições adequadas que abordem critérios técnicos e científicos de proteção e prevenção bem como mecanismos apropriados de monitoramento, regulação e cumprimento da legislação.

Progress in vaccination towards hepatitis B control and elimination in the Region of the Americas

BackgroundOver recent decades, the Region of the Americas has made significant progress towards hepatitis B elimination. We summarize the countries/territories’ efforts in introducing and implementing hepatitis B (HB) vaccination and in evaluating its impact on HB virus seroprevalence.MethodsWe collected information about HB vaccination schedules, coverage estimates, and year of vaccine introduction from countries/territories reporting to the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) through the WHO/UNICEF Joint Reporting Form on Immunization. We obtained additional information regarding countries/territories vaccination recommendations and strategies through communications with Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) managers and national immunization survey reports. We identified vaccine impact studies conducted and published in the Americas.ResultsAs of October 2016, all 51 countries/territories have included infant HB vaccination in their official immunization schedule. Twenty countries, whose populations represent over 90% of the Region’s births, have included nationwide newborn HB vaccination. We estimated at 89% and 75%, the regional three-dose series and the birth dose HB vaccination coverage, respectively, for 2015. The impact evaluations of infant HB immunization programs in the Region have shown substantial reductions in HB surface antigen (HBsAg) seroprevalence.ConclusionThe achievements of vaccination programs in the Americas suggest that the elimination of perinatal and early childhood HB transmission could be feasible in the short-term. Moreover, the data gathered indicate that the Region may have already achieved the 2020 WHO goal for HB control.

Monitoring and evaluation of the PAHO/WHO cooperation project, the Mais Médicos (More Doctors) Program: a mid-term assessment.

Working relations between the Pan- American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and Brazilian health institutions accumulated a long history of cooperation with mutual benefits, which in many cases were shared with other nations under various cooperation frameworks among countries for health development. A milestone in this relationship is the technical cooperation provided by PAHO/WHO to the More Doctors Program (Programa Mais Médicos - PMM). This cooperation has added both strategic value in reducing gaps in health equality and has capitalized on the unique nature of the Cuba-Brazil South-South cooperation experience, triangulated through PAHO/WHO. This paper discusses PAHO/WHO's role in the evaluation of its technical cooperation within PMM. A Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Framework has been developed in order to progressively identify the advances in coverage and quality of primary health care provided by the Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS) through the PMM. Special attention was given to identify best practices in health services, to analyze results and impacts of the PMM, and to manage and share knowledge that has been produced by its implementation, through a web-based knowledge platform. Some relevant results of PMM are briefly presented and discussed.

O sertão na saúde e na formação de trabalhadores setoriais: contextos, atores e ideologias (1920-1970)

RESUMO Artigo analisa a agenda das políticas e discursos sobre saneamento rural no Brasil (1920-1970). Temática tradicional dos sanitaristas será discutida com base nas experiências desenvolvidas, especialmente nas interações com a Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde/Organização Mundial da Saúde (Opas/OMS), organismo internacional que, com lideranças nacionais, retomará, sob renovados termos, o sertão na agenda sanitária e na formação de trabalhadores. Analisa-se a literatura e fontes documentais. Conclui que houve mudanças no teor dos discursos e práticas da chamada interiorização dos serviços de saúde no contexto do pós-guerra, sobretudo naquilo que tange à centralidade das discussões acerca do planejamento e formação de trabalhadores.