Fiocruz was redesignated as PAHO Collaborating Center for Public Health and the Environment

Fiocruz was redesignated as Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Collaborating Center for Public Health and the Environment. The Foundation became a Collaborating Center in Public Health and the Environment in 2010 and this is its redesignation agenda, valid until 2022. The Center is now led by the Vice-Presidency for the Environment, Health Attention and Promotion (VPAAPS), under the coordination of researchers Marcos Menezes and Guilherme Franco Netto.

A Collaborating Center is an institution designated by the General Director at the World Health Organization (WHO) to become part of an international collaborative network and to perform technical and support activities for health programs. The WHO has over 800 Collaborating Centers around the world. In Brazil, there are 20, 5 of which in Fiocruz. 

Under the new designation, according to the recommendation of PAHO/WHO, the Collaborating Center should place emphasis on the 2030 Sustainable development Agenda, on knowledge production and on qualification models to strengthen South-South cooperation, and on initiatives to create guidelines and tools relative to social and environmental determinants in health. 

Over the last years, collaboration has been focused on sharing diagnoses with other countries and regions, and on intervening with and creating educational competences about environmental topics related to public health. For the new cycle, studies and research works are proposed in line with the need for national and international cooperation; knowledge, technology and methodology transfer about the theme; support to human resources training in the area; specialized consulting for governmental initiatives; and participation in networks and promotion of interchange actions with other Collaborating Centers in the Americas.