Author Archives: andreasilva

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Scientific evidence, tools and practices to strengthen PHC

The seventh edition of the International Congress on Primary Health Care (VII CIAPS) was held in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, on May 1-3, 2025, bringing together more than 1,200 participants, including managers, professionals and researchers, around the theme “Innovative tools for qualifying Primary Health Care (PHC) and reducing maternal mortality”. Organized by the Center for Teaching, Research and Extension in Permanent Health Education at the Universidade Federal do Piauí (NUEPES/UFPI), the event has been consolidated as a strategic space for strengthening maternal health protection policies in Primary Care.

The opening keynote address was given by João Paulo Souza, Director of BIREME/PAHO/WHO, with the title “Strengthening PHC: Innovations and the Case of Maternal Health”. The director addressed digital transformation, evidence-based decision-making and the “super determinants of health” as structuring axes for reducing mortality and improving care. With a focus on supporting decision-making in health, his speech highlighted the strategic role of the solutions developed by BIREME to organize and disseminate scientific evidence, expanding access to knowledge in the countries of the Region of the Americas. This role is an essential attribute of the technical cooperation promoted by the Center.

Highlights of the program

BIREME had an outstanding participation in the congress. Verônica Abdala, Manager of Information Products and Services, led a six-hour technical workshop on the methodology for building Evidence Maps. The activity was attended by approximately 30 participants and presented the systematized model for mapping, selecting, evaluating and categorizing scientific evidence applied to public health, with a focus on information needs in the context of PHC.

During the closing session, Verônica Abdala presented the Teresina Declaration for the Reduction of Maternal Mortality, proposed by the event’s coordinators in honor of Professor Lis Marinho, general coordinator of the VII CIAPS. The document proposes the creation of RedeLIS, a collaborative initiative dedicated to tackling maternal mortality in Piauí and other regions. For Verônica, CIAPS represents a strategic space for interaction, exchange of experiences and continuous learning, essential for connecting different public health contexts. “The evidence is global, but health is local, it’s in the people,” she highlighted.

Another highlight was the presentation by Bremen Mucio, former PAHO Regional Advisor on Sexual and Reproductive Health, on the Perinatal Information System, developed by the Latin American Center for Perinatology, Women’s and Reproductive Health (CLAP/SMR/PAHO/WHO). The tool was presented as a successful experience for clinical monitoring and training PHC workers to care for pregnant women and newborns.

Photo: UFPI Press.

Technical cooperation on the agenda

During the mission to Teresina, the BIREME team also took part in a series of bilateral meetings with national and regional institutions, strengthening strategic articulations aimed at technical cooperation in digital health, traditional medicine and integrative practices, home care and indigenous health. The talks signaled opportunities to expand the Virtual Health Library (VHL) and integrate new thematic platforms and collaborative networks into BIREME’s information ecosystem.

According to director João Paulo Souza, BIREME’s presence at CIAPS reaffirms its commitment to democratizing scientific information, strengthening local capacities and supporting evidence-based decision-making, essential pillars for health equity. “I congratulate the CIAPS organization for promoting an inspiring and transformative space. May the dialogues that began in Teresina continue to reverberate in concrete and lasting actions,” he pointed out.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/05/30/scientific-evidence-tools-and-practices-to-strengthen-phc/
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Under development the SUS Digital Platform

On May 7, 2025, BIREME held an internal meeting to launch Brazil’s Unified Health System – SUS Digital Platform project. The meeting marked the official start of the development schedule and aimed to begin implementing the consensus activities during the co-creation process with the Ministry of Health’s Digital Health and Information Secretariat (SEIDIGI), and to share guidelines and align the next steps with the teams involved.

The project is part of Additive Term 1 to Cooperation Term 157 (TA1/TC157) between PAHO Brazil and SEIDIGI/Ministry of Health (MS from its Portuguese acronym), with BIREME participating in the development of the SUS Digital Platform.

SUS Digital Platform: an integrated response to the demands of digital health

Established by Ordinance GM/MS No. 3232 of March 1st, 2024, the SUS Digital Program aims to expand the population’s access to health services and actions through digital technological solutions. With a focus on innovation and equity, the Program’s mission is to connect citizens to the Unified Health System (SUS) at all stages of care, besides providing essential information for access to comprehensive care.

With all states, municipalities and the Federal District having already joined the initiative, the platform being developed by BIREME will act as a centralizing point for information, products, services and initiatives related to SUS’ digital transformation. Its aim is to facilitate access to information for citizens, health workers and managers, promoting efficiency and integration between the system’s different users and instances.

The platform will bring together all the content produced by the program in a structured repository, facilitating its visibility and strategic use, pointed out Veronica Abdala, manager of Information Products and Services (PSI) at BIREME/PAHO/WHO. Among the planned features are an integrated search service, themed editorial sections, spaces dedicated to different audiences, and the integration of products such as the Brazilian Telehealth Network, Second Formative Opinion (SOF) and Decision Aids. Interactive content is also foreseen, such as experiences reports and testimonies gathered in the Voices of the Digital SUS section.

Project stages and collaborative approach

The proposal was to build the platform collaboratively by the SEIDIGI/MS and BIREME teams, and its development is characterized by four stages:

  • Phase 1: development of prototypes and information architecture
  • Phase 2: alpha version of the platform and team training
  • Phase 3: beta version with usability tests and English version
  • Phase 4: regular operation and platform sustainability strategies

During the launch meeting, Verônica Abdala (PSI manager) pointed out that the project is the result of an intense co-creation process with SEIDIGI, including the development of a previously approved low-fidelity prototype, which has already been incorporated as the initial development milestone. “The expectation is that the new platform will function as a true digital hub for the SUS Digital Program, promoting a more connected, accessible and documented digital health ecosystem, with a focus on usability, navigability and open access to public health information,” she stated.

The content mapping, target audience and functionalities of the platform were defined during an ideation and co-creation workshop, held with members of SEIDIG/MS and BIREME, in São Paulo, at BIREME premises, on January 16, 2025.

 

Further information:

SUS digital transformation: BIREME supports developments – BIREME/PAHO/WHO Bulletin

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/05/30/under-development-the-sus-digital-platform/

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TMGL and TCIM VHL in the WHO GTMC Annual Report

The Division of Universal Health Coverage and Life Course of the World Health Organization (WHO) coordinated the publication of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) annual report, published on May 23, 2025, and available online in English (click here to access). The document includes its main results clustered into: (1) Leadership and political engagement; (2) Traditional Medicine Global Summit; (3) Research and evidence; (4) Primary health care and universal health coverage; (5) Indigenous knowledge and biodiversity; (6) Digital health applications; (7) WHO and Government of India coordination; and (8) Human resources, budget and financing.

The WHO Regional Offices collaboration is also considered as regional achievements and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), that also serves as WHO Regional Office for the Americas, has shared its technical cooperation activities. The Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information (BIREME), has shared the developments on WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library (TMGL) highlighting its strategic role in evidence-informed decision-making, research prioritization, and the integration of Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) knowledge into health systems worldwide.

TMGL: WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library

The WHO TMGL, currently in its Beta version (v.02), is a collaborative digital initiative developed by BIREME in partnership with the WHO GTMC. Designed to provide global access to knowledge in TCIM, TMGL serves researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and the public by indexing, archiving, and facilitating access to a broad range of TCIM-related resources.

Approved by the 78th World Health Assembly on May 26, 2025, the new “WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025-2034” directs the international community to develop an inclusive and comprehensive evidence base to support the introduction of effective and safe TCIM practices into national health systems, as deemed appropriate by each country. “In this process, the TMGL will play a key role as a conduit of knowledge that bridges the gap between traditional knowledge, scientific evidence and the practical implementation of this knowledge in health systems,” said João Paulo Souza, director of BIREME, on the approval of the document by the Member States.

A key initiative under WHO’s traditional medicine strategy, TMGL benefits from direct financial contribution from India and in-kind contributions from multiple partners, including all six WHO regional offices, which have played a role in shaping its global research prioritization framework on traditional medicine. The library curates, organizes, and provides structured access to external scientific and technical literature, ensuring visibility for high-quality TCIM research worldwide.

PAHO’s Regional Efforts in TCIM and BIREME’s Role

As part of its broader efforts to strengthen traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine across the Americas, PAHO has been actively implementing initiatives that complement TMGL and the mission of the Virtual Health Library on Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine of the Americas (TCIM VHL Americas). In 2024, PAHO initiated the development of country profiles on TCIM, as highlighted in the WHO GTMC Technical Report 2024, providing a comprehensive characterization of how these practices are integrated into national health systems.

In parallel, PAHO launched a strategy to assess the quality of health services in facilities incorporating TCIM, ensuring standardization and identifying areas for improvement. PAHO supported the implementation of the essential conditions tool (VCEm) in Bolivia and Paraguay in 2024, assessing how national standards incorporate respect for sociocultural conditions and ensure access to information for Indigenous communities.

As a PAHO specialized center, BIREME plays a key role in supporting these initiatives by ensuring that relevant information is accessible through TCIM VHL and that the knowledge generated through these efforts contributes to TMGL’s global knowledge base.

TCIM VHL Americas: A Key Driver in TMGL Development

In shaping the TMGL, WHO has not only drawn inspiration from the TCIM VHL Americas, but has also leveraged the expertise and methodologies developed through this VHL to build the foundation of its global library’s structure, content curation, and expansion.

Developed by BIREME, the TCIM VHL Americas serves as a regional model for TMGL, demonstrating a structured, evidence-based approach to knowledge management in TCIM. However, its contribution extends beyond serving as a reference model — it has actively shaped TMGL’s development through specialized expertise in content curation, thematic structuring, and database expansion.

Key contributions of TCIM VHL Americas experts to TMGL include mapping vital content for inclusion in the portal, curating information to ensure high-quality, relevant, and structured access to TCIM resources, and developing a TCIM thematic structure to guide data collection across databases and repositories. Additionally, their expertise has contributed to the expansion of TMGL’s databases, including curating content from major global events, and developing inclusion criteria for TMGL content and resources to ensure scientific rigor and reliability in the materials made accessible through the platform.

Reflecting on this strategic collaboration, João Paulo Souza, Director of BIREME, emphasized its institutional importance: “The collaboration with the GTMC for the development of the TMGL represents a milestone for BIREME, as it strengthens our mission to expand access to quality information for health workers, researchers, academics, policymakers, and the public. In addition, it drives innovations in our products and services, with the potential for application across our entire portfolio, and enables us to contribute directly to the establishment of a sister entity of BIREME within WHO, considering that the GTMC is a WHO Specialized Centre in Traditional Medicine, just as BIREME is in health information sciences.”

By leveraging the expertise, methodologies, and curated content developed through TCIM VHL, TMGL is positioned to expand its global reach, ensuring traditional medicine knowledge remains structured, accessible, and impactful for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers across the world.

Strengthened access to knowledge in traditional medicine

The inclusion of the TMGL and the TCIM VHL Americas in the WHO GTMC Annual Report reinforces its strategic importance for traditional medicine in the context of global health. BIREME, in partnership with the WHO and its global collaborators, continues to strengthen the information infrastructure in TCIM, promoting access to scientific evidence and supporting the integration of traditional knowledge into health systems.

The development of the Global Library of Traditional Medicine has advanced significantly in recent months. To follow the previous stages of this project and understand how BIREME and the TCIM VHL Americas have contributed to its construction, access the news already published in the BIREME Bulletin:

  1. New stage of development of the WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library
  2. Advances in the development of the Traditional Medicine Global Library
  3. Progress on the WHO Traditional Medicines Global Library
  4. BIREME will coordinate the development of the WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library
  5. TCIM VHL Americas will serve as a model for the development of the future WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library

The TMGL and the TCIM VHL Americas continue to evolve as global references in access to knowledge in traditional medicine. Follow the updates in the BIREME Bulletin to learn more about the next advances of this initiative.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/05/30/tmgl-tcim-vhl-in-the-who-gtmc-annual-report/

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BIREME presents AI innovations at global meetings

BIREME/PAHO/WHO participated in two strategic meetings held in Rwanda on April 2-4, 2025, the Kigali Meeting with the Gates Foundation’s Grand Challenges Artificial Intelligence (AI) Community, and the Global AI Summit on Africa, organized by C4IR Rwanda in coordination with the World Economic Forum. The events brought together researchers, government representatives and international experts to debate the role of AI in promoting development with equity.

Francisco Barbosa Junior, an AI specialist from BIREME’s Development team, represented the Center at the activities, presenting technological innovation experiences for digital libraries, such as the Super Summaries and the DeCS Finder AI. Developed by BIREME to boost the digital transition of the Virtual Health Library’s (VHL) products and services, the resources stood out for operating with specialized language models and accessible infrastructure.

On April 2, the Kigali Meeting with the Grand Challenges AI Community brought together researchers and experts covered by the Gates Foundation’s Artificial Intelligence Grand Challenges fellowships, for an agenda of knowledge exchange, project demonstrations and networking between representatives of the Global South. Then, on April 3 and 4, the group joined participants in the Africa AI Global Summit, including government leaders, technology experts and representatives of multilateral agencies, in debates on the role of AI in tackling social challenges, with an emphasis on public health and digital equity.

The program included technical sessions, project pitches, discussion circles, panels and comments, with names such as Bill Gates (Chairman of the Gates Foundation), Sam Altman (CEO of OpenAI), Faure Gnassingbé (President of the Republic of Togo), Paul Kagame (President of the Republic of Rwanda), Paula Ingabire (Rwandan Minister of Innovation) and Trevor Mundel (President of Global Health at the Gates Foundation), who highlighted the urgency of expanding access to sustainable and locally relevant digital technologies.

In focus: digital equity and data sovereignty

During the events, BIREME’s experience drew attention for the technical efficiency and economic viability of its artificial intelligence solutions, developed to operate in contexts of limited infrastructure. Francisco Junior presented two main products, the Super Summaries and the DeCS Finder AI.

The Super Summaries were designed with the aim of enabling the delivery of results using large language models (LLMs) in environments with limited computing resources. “We use a reduced and specialized version of Meta’s LLaMA model, which runs on our own servers, with local control and low energy consumption, which is essential for public institutions like ours,” explains Junior. The project consists of the automated generation of short summaries, between 34 and 63 words, based on the abstracts of scientific articles. The versions already produced are available for consultation in the MOSAICO database, accessible through the VHL. To develop the tool, the BIREME team applied fine-tuning and prompt engineering techniques, adjusting parameters such as temperature and thematic focus to ensure quality and accuracy. “This process is a first step towards the development of more robust solutions, such as an automated system to display synthesis of evidence,” adds Junior.

DeCS Finder AI was designed to improve the user experience when indexing health scientific texts. The tool is based on Annif, an open-source system developed by the National Library of Finland to automate the indexing of documents by subject, using natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML). Adapted by BIREME’s team, the model analyzes texts and identifies the most suitable DeCS descriptors to represent scientific articles, abstracts and full texts. In addition to facilitating semi-automatic indexing according to the LILACS methodology, DeCS Finder AI is able to process texts in different languages and export results in compatible formats for submission to databases and journals.

Converging paths for south-south cooperation

The meetings also revealed the challenges faced by the African continent in terms of access to computing infrastructure and linguistic expertise in AI. “Today, only 2% of global AI server capacity is installed on the African continent, which significantly limits the region’s technological autonomy. Added to this is an important cultural barrier, the diversity of local languages and dialects, which are often absent from large language models, makes it difficult to adapt and effectively use these technologies in real contexts,” says the expert.

BIREME’s participation in the events in Kigali highlighted not only the potential of technologies developed from Latin America, but also the importance of inclusive and sustainable approaches to artificial intelligence and the promotion of equity between countries and regions of the world. Sharing experiences with other institutions from the Global South highlighted the need for investment in infrastructure and public policies to guarantee the technological sovereignty of developing countries. Specialized models with local control, such as those adopted by BIREME, have been recognized by experts as a viable and scalable alternative for contexts with limited resources.

Besides the technical presentations, the Summit also marked a step forward in digital governance on the African continent with the launch of the African Declaration on Artificial Intelligence. The document proposes principles for the ethical, responsible and inclusive use of AI, with special attention to linguistic diversity and technological autonomy – themes that also guide BIREME’s work in Latin America and the Caribbean. The convergence of values between the African and Latin American initiatives reaffirms the strategic role of South-South cooperation in building a digital transformation that is fairer, more accessible and centered on the population’s needs.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/04/30/bireme-presents-ai-innovations-at-global-meetings/

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Technical cooperation for the Virtual Pandemic Memorial

On April 25, 2025, BIREME hosted a meeting with teams from the Ministry of Health, PAHO/WHO Brazil and experts to establish the joint work plan for the project to develop the future “COVID-19 Pandemic Memorial” online portal. The initiative will be implemented under Adjustment Term 13 (TA13) of Term of Cooperation 95 (TC95), in coordination with the Cultural Center of the Ministry of Health (CCMS), the General Coordination of Documentation and Information (CGDI), the Undersecretariat of Administrative Affairs (SAA) of the Ministry’s Executive Secretariat (SE) and BIREME/PAHO/WHO.

As a result, another stage of technical cooperation is effectively underway between the institutions involved in projects aimed at strengthening memory, communication and document preservation policies in the context of public health. The Pandemic Memorial will be both a physical and digital space focusing on testimonies about the remarkable experiences and stories of individuals during the pandemic, including the actions of health workers, and reflect on the challenges faced during this critical period in recent history.

Regarding the relevance of the project, Fabíola Simoni Santos, Head of the Cultural Center of the Ministry of Health (CCMS/CGDI/SAA/SE), emphasized: “The implementation of the COVID-19 Memorial repository is of utmost importance, as it embodies the concepts of memory and reparation for civil society and the governmental, academic, and research sectors. It is about ensuring that this historical moment is remembered and that the testimonies and records captured from this period are always preserved and accessible. In addition to being innovative in its theme, the project also stands out for the digital robustness that is being planned for its implementation.”

The agreed work plan involves management and governance stages, the development of the documentary and bibliographic collections that will make up the repository, the content management system, the development of the online portal itself, and communication and dissemination actions. The work schedule for the development of the COVID-19 Memorial portal foresees activities and deliveries scheduled until August 2026 in its first phase.

During the meeting held at BIREME, the guidelines for the development of the project were also aligned, based on the mapping of Brazilian and Latin American memory initiatives, and including legal and ethical premises, among other essential aspects for the success and sustainability of technical cooperation.

The building of the COVID-19 Pandemic Memorial online portal represents a collective commitment to preserving historical memory, strengthening Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS), valuing science and promoting human rights. For the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the initiative is anchored in the conviction that remembering is an essential step towards learning, repairing and transforming.

The teams from BIREME, CCMS, CGDI of the Ministry of Health, PAHO Brazil and preservation experts were unanimous about the lessons to be learned, perspectives on the results to be achieved and synergies so that the initiative can also be a reference for other countries in the Latin American and the Caribbean region. “The development of the Virtual Health Memorial for COVID-19 represents a breakthrough in the digital frontiers of information products and services, by integrating memory, innovation, and technology for the collective good. This powerful model places cutting-edge technology and digital innovation at the service of public health. From this first implementation, we hope to develop a new line of technical cooperation that enables countries in our region to document the experiences and journeys of their populations toward the realization of the right to health for all in the Americas,” emphasized Director João Paulo Souza.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/04/30/technical-cooperation-for-the-virtual-pandemic-memorial/
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Science, ancestral knowledge and digital transformation in dialogue for public health

How can science, ancestral knowledge and digital transformation be combined for the benefit of public health? This was the proposal put forward by João Paulo Souza, director of BIREME/PAHO/WHO, during the ‘Knowledge for Care’ seminar, held on April 8 and 9 in São Paulo, as part of the SESC Inspira program, which celebrates World Health Day with educational and cultural activities at its units.

Organized by São Paulo’s Social Service of Commerce (SESC) – a Brazilian institution dedicated to promoting health, culture, education and social well-being – the event brought together more than 200 participants, including health professionals, local policymakers, staff from various SESC units and the general public. The seminar was also attended by renowned academics, health professionals and traditional healers, reflecting an intercultural approach to care and knowledge.

In his speech, João Paulo Souza shared the progress in the collaborative construction of the WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library (TMGL), an initiative led by BIREME and the WHO Global Center for Traditional Medicine (WHO GTMC), in conjunction with other institutions and collaborative networks.

Souza emphasized that digital transformation has the potential to be a great ally of traditional knowledge: “Digital transformation can be an ally of ancestry when it is used to preserve, connect and protect the knowledge of peoples. From this perspective, it is possible to develop multisystem databases to identify safe, effective and culturally appropriate practices inspired by traditional wisdom.”

TMGL was presented as a collaborative and decentralized digital infrastructure designed to integrate traditional knowledge, practices and care systems from different regions of the world, in dialogue with a contemporary scientific approach. Conceived from a multisystem perspective, the library seeks to articulate ancestral knowledge with modern science and digital technologies, promoting intercultural respect, health equity and sustainability. According to Souza, this approach opens up the possibility of enriching public health policies and practices by integrating different medical rationalities under the criteria of safety, efficacy and cultural relevance.

Souza explained that TMGL will include a global portal, six regional portals and national and thematic collections, such as Ayurveda, indigenous medicines, African ancestral medicine and Afro-diasporic medicine, among others. Its functionalities include access to scientific databases, evidence maps, digital preservation of traditional knowledge, protection of the collective intellectual property of indigenous peoples and local communities (PICL). All this with the aim of strengthening informed and culturally appropriate decision-making in public policies and health systems.

During his presentation, BIREME’s director also highlighted the challenge of promoting a respectful and productive epistemic dialogue between the different knowledge systems: “The challenge is how to guarantee universal, inclusive and respectful access to these practices, recognizing their community, ancestral and spiritual value, while identifying those that are safe, effective and culturally appropriate to strengthen health systems from a pluralistic perspective,” he said.

The presentation concluded with a call for collaboration, emphasizing that TMGL is a public good built collectively, whose development depends on the joint commitment of networks, communities, institutions and decision-makers: “Nothing is built alone. TMGL will be a public good, the result of collaboration between networks, communities and institutions.”

João Paulo Souza during his presentation at the “Knowledge for Care” seminar, part of the ‘SESC Inspires’ program, which celebrates World Health Day with educational and cultural activities at its units.

Further information (in Portuguese): https://www.sescsp.org.br/editorial/saberes-do-cuidado/

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/04/30/science-ancestral-knowledge-and-digital-transformation-in-dialogue-for-public-health/

DeCS 2025 Edition is available

The multilingual thesaurus Descriptors in Health Sciences/Medical Subject Headings (DeCS), maintained by the Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (BIREME/PAHO/WHO), has incorporated 206 new descriptors in its 2025 update, 192 from MeSH and 14 inserted in categories exclusive to DeCS. The latest version was made available for consultation on March 28, 2025.

With an increase of 0.8 % compared to the previous edition, DeCS brings together around 735,000 terms (descriptors and synonyms) in four languages, remaining the reference vocabulary for organizing and retrieving scientific and technical health literature.

Main changes to the 2025 edition

Categories with the highest number of new descriptors

  • L – Information Science… 45
  • D – Chemicals and Drugs… 44
  • C – Diseases … 19
  • N – Health Care… 19
  • E – Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques, and Equipment… 16
  • F – Psychiatry and Psychology… 13
  • SP – Public Health… 12
  • I – Anthropology, Education, Sociology, and Social Phenomena… 8
  • G – Phenomena and Processes… 6
  • M – Named Groups… 6

DeCS and MeSH special projects

The 2025 edition adjusts the vocabulary in line with debates on technology and inclusion. Category L – Information Science has expanded the artificial intelligence theme, incorporating descriptors such as Generative Artificial Intelligence; Large Language Models and Generative Adversarial Networks, terms used in studies on text and image creation algorithms.

Terminology related to gender and sexuality was also reviewed. Expressions such as Gestational Carriers and Gender-Affirming Surgery replace previous names, bringing DeCS into line with international recommendations for inclusive language.

In partnership with experts from the VHL Nursing, the update introduces descriptors that deal with the profession as a social practice and the health work process, as well as changes to scope notes and the inclusion of various synonyms to existing descriptors.

The Homeopathy category saw the completion of the revision that began in 2022, with a hierarchical reorganization. Medicines are now classified by animal, plant, viral or bacterial origin, which simplifies the search by type of raw material.

In response to suggestions from users, the DeCS exclusive categories now include strategic descriptors for Public Health, such as Protected Residences for Persons with Psychiatric Disorders, Epizootic, Vaccination Dropout Rates and Event Supposedly Attributable to Vaccination and for Health Surveillance, such as Bacilloscopy. The additions reinforce the importance of continuous dialog with indexers, researchers and health professionals, whose feedback keeps the thesaurus aligned with the information demands of practice and research.

Launch webinar

Broadcast live on April 3, 2025, the webinar presenting the 2025 edition brought together 193 participants from 16 countries. The audience was mainly from Brazil (112 participants; 58 %), followed by Colombia (19; 10 %), Argentina (15; 8 %) and Honduras (13; 7 %). There were also participants from Angola (1), Bolivia (3), Chile (2), Costa Rica (3), El Salvador (6), Guatemala (4), Mexico (1), Panama (1), Peru (4), Dominican Republic (3), Uruguay (5) and Venezuela (1).

The event featured presentations by Josilaine Oliveira Cezar (PUC-PR), Ana Cristina Espindola Campos and Luciana Piovezan Rio Branco (both from BIREME/PAHO/WHO), who covered DeCS applications, details of the 2025 update and a retrospective of the 2024 edition.

The 2025 edition of DeCS reaffirms BIREME’s commitment to keeping the thesaurus aligned with the evolution of scientific knowledge and the terminological demands of the region. More information is available on the annual update at the DeCS 2025 Edition.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/04/30/decs-2025-edition-is-available/

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Health education with AI and access to information motivated event

From April 14 to 17, 2025, BIREME/PAHO/WHO participated in the 1st Symposium: The Panorama of Health Education in the Municipality of São Paulo, held by the Municipal Health Secretariat (SMS-SP), through the Municipal Health School (EMS). The event brought together workers, teachers, managers and authorities from the sector to debate the challenges and advances of health education in the context of the Unified Health System (SUS).

At the opening ceremony, the Municipal Secretary of Health, Luiz Carlos Zamarco, gave the keynote address, highlighting the importance of continuous technical training as a strategy for improving care for the population. Afterwards, the Director of BIREME/PAHO/WHO, João Paulo Souza, took part in the panel of authorities alongside representatives of partner institutions, contributing the Pan American Health Organization’s perspective on innovation and digital transformation in health education.

BIREME was also present in the symposium’s technical program with Artificial Intelligence applied to health information and teaching panel, held on Wednesday (16). Specialists Francisco Barbosa Junior, Elisabeth Biruel and Juliana Sousa addressed topics such as the application of AI in production and retrieval of scientific information, the development of innovative products in the context of the Virtual Health Library (VHL) and the ethical challenges related to the use of these technologies in education and research.

The program also included the thematic exhibition “VHL: a tool for Teaching and Education in Health”, highlighting the SMS São Paulo VHL, developed under the technical cooperation agreement established between BIREME and SMS-SP. The activity highlighted the ease of access and the advantages of using reliable sources of scientific and technical information to support the work of health professionals in the municipality.

Technical cooperation

São Paulo is the city with the largest population in the Americas, with around 12 million inhabitants, more than a thousand healthcare facilities – 480 of which are exclusively dedicated to primary care – and a workforce of more than 120,000 professionals in all areas. In this scenario, strengthening continuing education and access to health information is strategic for improving the care provided to the population.

Technical cooperation between BIREME/PAHO/WHO and the São Paulo Municipal Health Secretariat (SMS-SP) was formalized in 2010, with the main objective of developing the São Paulo SMS Virtual Health Library (SMS-SP VHL). Phase II of the partnership began in 2013, focused on strengthening, developing and providing technical support for the VHL. Phase III was formalized in May 2021, and is scheduled to last until May 2025, with the aim of maintaining, updating and adding new sources of information to the SMS-SP VHL.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/04/30/health-education-with-ai-and-access-to-information-motivated-event/
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#bireme58years – Digital Transformation, AI and Access to Information

March 2025 marks the 58th anniversary of BIREME – the Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) – one of the longest-lived and most strategic institutions in the Region of the Americas. Founded in 1967 as the Regional Library of Medicine, BIREME maintains its original mission of facilitating access to scientific and technical health information, while reinventing itself in the face of contemporary challenges posed by digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) and the growing demand for quality knowledge to guide public health decisions.

Over more than five decades, BIREME has established itself as a reference center in health information and knowledge management, with a technical cooperation model based on the creation and development of Virtual Health Libraries (VHL) and other information products, which are structured in regional networks and aligned with the needs of health systems in Latin American and Caribbean countries. Linked to the PAHO/WHO Department of Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health (EIH), the Center operates in close collaboration with national, regional and global institutions and networks.

Digital transformation and innovation guide the 2023-2025 Strategy

In recent years, BIREME has advanced in a process of institutional transformation that reflects the changes in the global ecosystem of scientific information. The BIREME 2023-2025 Strategy introduces three central pillars: strengthening decision-making capacity in health systems; expanding strategic partnerships and regional technical cooperation; and digital innovation using advanced technologies, especially artificial intelligence (AI).

Among the recent milestones, the VHL stands out as a key part of its technical cooperation program, launched in 1998 and currently bringing together 58 sources of information, more than 39 million records and an annual average of 41 million sessions on the Regional Portal. Recognized as Good Practice in South-South Cooperation by the United Nations at the age of 27, the VHL continues to be one of the main gateways to scientific health information in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The VHL’s main source of information, the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS) database, which has been in operation for 40 years, also reflects BIREME’s 58-year history of promoting the science produced in the region. With more than 1.1 million scientific and technical documents from Latin America and the Caribbean, LILACS was expanded in 2024 with the launch of LILACS Plus — an integrated collection of around 2 million records from LILACS, MEDLINE and other sources. The initiative strengthens the visibility of regional scientific production and its inclusion in global health information flows.

AI initiatives and regional and global cooperation

The application of AI in information management processes was also highlighted in 2024 with the development of DeCS Finder AI, a tool that speeds up and improves the automatic indexing of documents with Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS/MeSH), a system used by hundreds of institutions to organize health literature.

In the same context, BIREME expanded its activities in the production of Evidence Maps, a graphic resource that supports the systematization of scientific studies to support the formulation of public policies. In all, there are 72 evidence maps available, 17 of which were launched in 2024 alone, with a new platform under development for AI-based integration.

The cooperative dimension of BIREME’s work is manifested in the intense agenda of meetings with the VHL Network and its associated networks, which registered a 20% increase in participation in 2024, with 22 sessions held and more than 100 connections per meeting, bringing together countries from all over the region. At the global level, BIREME leads actions such as the Global Index Medicus (GIM), now with more than 2 million records; and the development of the Traditional Medicine Global Library (TMGL), scheduled for global launch at the Second WHO World Summit on Traditional Medicine in December 2025.

New products, digital health and institutional strengthening

With Brazil’s Ministry of Health and PAHO Brazil, BIREME has been collaborating on the development of digital solutions aimed at Primary and Specialized Health Care. One of the highlights is the new Formative Second Opinion (SOF) program, which answers frequently asked questions from health teams based on contextualized evidence for Brazil’s Unified Health System – SUS. Another example is the Decision Support Platform, aimed at the general population, which seeks to improve the care process and the autonomy of citizens.

In addition, BIREME provides technical support to the Interagency Health Information Network (RIPSA) with the development of APIs, plugins and improvements in indicator publication flows, strengthening the analytical capacity of the Brazilian health system.

Internally, the Centre is making progress in adopting agile methodologies, modernizing its computer infrastructure and qualifying its technical and management staff as a high-performance team. The promotion of an organizational culture geared towards innovation, together with the continuous strengthening of institutional partnerships and the diversification of its funding sources, are key strategies for guaranteeing institutional sustainability and expanding BIREME’s impact in the near future.

58 years in health knowledge

BIREME’s trajectory is marked by its strategic role as a bridge between science and health action, supporting managers, professionals, researchers, users, and citizens in building more informed, resilient, and evidence-based health systems. This mission, which has been continuously continually renewed over the years, remains highly relevant to current and future challenges in the Region.

“At 58 years of age, BIREME reaffirms its commitment to innovation, collaboration, and equitable access to scientific and technical health information. In an ever-changing world, this mission is even more important to promote the health and well-being of the people of the Americas. It is an honor and a privilege to lead the Center at this moment. I salute and thank the entire BIREME family — our staff, institutional partners, and users — for their commitment to this journey.”

João Paulo Souza, Director of BIREME/PAHO/WHO.

Fuente: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/03/31/bireme58years-digital-transformation-ai-and-access-to-information/

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The Way Forward for the Virtual Health Library After 27 Years

In March 2025, the Virtual Health Library (VHL) celebrates its 27th anniversary as a consolidated strategic model for health information management in Latin America and the Caribbean (LA&C). To celebrate the date, BIREME is reaffirming its commitment to the VHL Network by modernizing and integrating national instances into the VHL Regional Portal, promoting more equitable and representative access to scientific and technical information produced in the region.

According to Verônica Abdala Information Products and Services manager at BIREME/PAHO/WHO, experts and managers recognized the need to reformulate and realign the model to the current digital and information context. For Abdala, the VHL is still a powerful and efficient model, but it needs to evolve to maintain its relevance and impact. “The VHL can and must contribute even more to the mission of expanding access to health information in the region. The integration of the national instances into the Regional Portal is an essential step in this process,” she pointed out.

New phase: integration of national instances

The main advance in the next cycle of development of the VHL will be the expansion of the Regional Portal of the VHL and the creation of spaces for the integration of national instances. With this innovation, all countries in the network will have visibility within the platform in an individualized but integrated way. “Our proposal is to build personalized spaces for each country, bringing together in a single environment all the scientific and technical output available in each country in the region,” announced Verônica.

In the current model, some countries operate national instances of the VHL with their own portals, which require local technical infrastructure and continuous updating activities. This dispersion has resulted in operational difficulties for maintenance. With the new approach, the VHL Regional Portal aims to consolidate itself as a single integrated and strengthened repository of the collections of information sources of the national instances, expanding bibliographic control and ensuring greater access and visibility to the scientific and technical output of the Region.

“We are promoting the creation of a large regional collection that includes the scientific and technical production of the countries, allowing each country to have its own space within the Regional Portal, customized to each context”, explained Veronica Abdala.

More inclusion and visibility for countries

The change will make it possible to include and broaden the representation of countries that face technical and operational challenges in implementing their national instances. In the new structure, countries that have significant scientific output, but do not currently have their own VHL portal, will now have a specific consolidated space within the Regional Portal to publicize their scientific output, promoting access, visibility and active participation in the construction of the Regional VHL.

For Joanita Barros, Senior Information Analyst at BIREME, “the integration of countries into the VHL Regional Portal will bring more sustainability to the VHL Network and promote a more equitable model, ensuring the visibility of each nation’s scientific output in a single, integrated and strengthened space. In addition, this new model will allow each country to concentrate its efforts on articulating its network, updating its collection and bibliographic control of its scientific output”.

Next steps

The implementation of the new model is at an early stage and is one of BIREME’s strategic priorities for 2025. A working group is being set up with representatives from different countries to discuss the development of the standards that will serve as the basis for the national pages. Moreover, the thematic instances of the VHL can also be connected to these virtual spaces, ensuring a more cohesive and organized structure.

“The world has changed and the VHL model needs to adapt to this new reality. The essence of networking, decentralized information management and cooperation between countries is still as relevant as ever,” highlighted Verônica Abdala.

With this reformulation, the VHL reinforces its commitment to the democratization of knowledge and the strengthening of the Network, promoting broader, more equitable and sustainable access to health information in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/03/31/the-way-forward-for-the-virtual-health-library-after-27-years/