Pasteur Network Meeting is marked by emphasis on working together

Strengthening science and working together to tackle health challenges and promote equity in access was the main theme of the speeches on Monday (10/21) at the opening ceremony of the Pasteur Network Annual Meeting 2024 (PNAM 2024). Co-hosted by Fiocruz, the meeting runs until Thursday (10/24) in Rio de Janeiro and aims to share information between members of the Network. Opening speeches, such as those by the Brazilian Minister of Health, the president of Fiocruz and the president of the Pasteur Network, highlighted the importance of cooperation for future crises, of investing in future generations of scientists and of disseminating knowledge.

Microbiologist Peter Piot, Pasteur Network Executive Director Rebecca Grais, Pasteur Network President and General Manager of the Pasteur Institute of Dakar Amadou Sall, Network Vice-President and Pasteur Institute President Yasmine Belkaid, researcher Manoel Barral and Fiocruz President Mario Moreira at the opening of the event (Photo: Peter Ilicciev)

In a video, the Minister of Health, Nísia Trindade Lima, greeted the participants and emphasized the importance of the meeting being held for the first time in the Americas and having Fiocruz as co-host. The minister stressed her satisfaction with the agenda of the event, which she said will discuss crucial issues for the ministry: the impact of climate change on the transmission of diseases and equitable access to vaccines. "At this time, Brazil is rebuilding its Unified Health System and reaffirming the importance of scientific evidence and working together with the scientific community in the country and around the world. I want to celebrate this event and emphasize the Ministry's commitment to discussing and implementing the important issues that will come out of this meeting," she said.

In his speech, the president of Fiocruz, Mario Moreira, recalled the latest international events hosted by the Foundation, such as the meeting of the National Institutes of Health and the Pandemic Preparedness Summit, highlighting the moment the world is living through with the need to think about equitable access to health. "I hope we have learned from the pandemic, when global efforts were unsuccessful, given that at one point 25% of the world's population had acquired 75% of the available vaccines," said Moreira. "And that is what this sequence of events we are hosting in Brazil is all about - we will soon have the G20 meeting - what sets the values of these meetings in motion is having a more balanced world, with access to health, and this access involves having a more balanced science."

Moreira highlighted the role of the Pasteur Network in producing knowledge and training researchers and scientific leaders: "A better world depends on this and we are fully aligned and together in this effort. I want this to be a scientific event, but also one of political reaffirmation for a better world, so that everyone, from the global North and South, can have access to good science and health for their people."

Amadou Sall: 'The world is facing a health crisis and the impacts are enormous. The challenge requires rapid coordination at an international level and constant vigilance' (Photo: Peter Ilicciev)

The president of the Pasteur Network and general manager of the Institut Pasteur in Dakar, Amadou Sall, highlighted the Foundation's leadership and said that "Fiocruz is one of the most renowned members of the Network" and that it has been a "major player in global health for more than 100 years, as a result of the pioneering efforts of Oswaldo Cruz". Sall also highlighted the work of Pasteur Dakar as a beacon of health excellence in Africa. "As we celebrate the achievements of Oswaldo Cruz and the Pasteur institutes, we must also confront the challenges ahead; the world is facing health crises and the impacts are great. The challenge requires rapid coordination at international level and constant vigilance."

Sall also drew attention to the destructive effects of climate change and welcomed the advances made possible by technology and innovation in terms of pandemic preparedness. Finally, he said that Brazil is well placed in the G20 presidency to lead discussions on access to vaccines and strengthening health systems. "This is a critical moment for us to contribute to shaping the global agenda and ensuring that vulnerable people and populations are not left behind," he concluded.

Future generations of scientists

The executive director of the Pasteur Network, Rebecca Grais, hosted the ceremony. She reflected on moments in history when progress was "stifled", recalling the story of Brazilian physician Hilário de Gouveia, whose work helped to understand the genetic basis of retinoblastoma decades later, but which was not recognized due to language barriers. "Gouveia's story is a reminder that science does not exist in a vacuum, knowledge must be shared, disseminated freely across borders and languages, for the benefit of humanity," she said. "In the Network, we have many Hilarios and perhaps our greatest collective challenge as a network is to help them to ensure that they have a different future."

At her first annual meeting, the vice president of the Network and president of the Institut Pasteur, Yasmine Belkaid, also spoke about the importance of investing in the next generations of scientists. She reinforced her commitment to a collaborative network: "The challenges we face are too big to tackle alone," said Belkaid. "We need to promote research for all and ensure the growth of new scientific leaders. The future of science depends on the next generation of scientists."

With a focus precisely on encouraging the work of young researchers, the Talent Awards were presented during the ceremony. This year marks the first edition of the award dedicated to Science and Communication, which went to Claire Sangba-Kembi Ngounou, assistant researcher at the Pasteur Institute in Bagui, Central African Republic, for her research on mosquito bite behavior and insecticide resistance. Claire will receive 20,000 Euros to support the communication plan for a malaria awareness project.

Researcher Claire Sangba-Kembi Ngounou (left) from the Central African Republic received the Talent Awards (Photo: Peter Ilicciev)

Pasteur Network's Board of Directors Meeting

Yesterday morning (10/21), Fiocruz hosted the Pasteur Network's Board of Directors Meeting During the meeting, members discussed strategies for strengthening the Network with international organizations, next year's budget and new challenges.

For the president of the Pasteur Institute in Dakar and the Pasteur Network, Amadou Sall, the Pasteur Network is a global platform and, as such, must look for new ways to impact decision-makers in the field of health.

"Thinking at a strategic level is extremely important. Science is the basis of the institutes that make up the Network, but we need to expand our political role," added Fiocruz president Mario Moreira.

In addition to the political challenges, the directors pointed out the need to broaden communication strategies so that member institutes can be better recognized for the local role they play in their regions and countries, and not as part of the Pasteur Institute in Paris. After the meeting, the Board visited some of the Foundation's spaces, including the Mourisco Castle.