Author Archives: andreasilva

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LILACS! 40 years of visibility to scientific output in the Region

LILACS – Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature – completes 40 years of operation. Coordinated regionally by BIREME/PAHO/WHO with a cooperative network of more than 900 institutions in 30 countries that continuously select, index, and update the database, it is recognized for its importance, scope, and support for the visibility of scientific output in health published in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries. Since its creation, LILACS has played an essential role in democratizing access to scientific and technical information and knowledge in health, with its network capable of keeping LILACS current, necessary, and relevant.

With over one million records, including articles, theses, books, reports, and proceedings, LILACS makes 70% of its content available in open access, with direct links to the full text. The collection covers 35 countries and six languages, predominantly Spanish, Portuguese, English, and French.

Its development was made possible by LILACS Methodology, a set of criteria, flows, description and indexing rules (using the controlled vocabulary DeCS), and tools that ensure information management and quality and the creation and management of bibliographic databases. Among these are FI-Admin, for information source administration; BIREME Accounts, for access management; and the scientific journal evaluation platform, which ensures curation, data standardization, database updating, and data reuse.

This infrastructure has enabled the creation of hundreds of databases with global, regional, national, and institutional coverage: AIM; BIGG; PIE; BRISA; BDENF; MOSAICO; MEDCARIB; BINACIS; ColecionaSUS; MINSAPERU; and SES-SP, among others.

LILACS is part of the Global Index Medicus (GIM), of the World Health Organization (WHO) and is essential for systematic reviews contextualized to the regional reality, in addition to complementing MEDLINE/PubMed, for the visibility of publications that are generally left out of international databases.

In 2024, as a strategy to give more visibility and prominence to the region’s scientific and technical output in the Virtual Health Library (VHL), the LILACS Plus collection was launched, which includes all the content of the LILACS database and Latin American and Caribbean output registered in MEDLINE, BDENF, BIGG and other databases that are part of the VHL Regional Portal collection. The collection already brings together more than 2.8 million documents from 140 countries, with more than 50% in open access, expanding the visibility of Latin American science on the global stage.

Recognition activities

The recognition activities began on October 30, the date of LILACS’ 40th anniversary, during the webinar “LILACS 40 Years: Science with Identity and Innovation”, which was attended by more than 100 participants from the VHL and LILACS collaboration networks. During the webinar, the commemorative seal for the date was launched, the 40th anniversary logo, and the beta version of the new LILACS Portal, which marks a new stage in the platform’s modernization.

The opening featured a presentation by the director of BIREME/PAHO/WHO, João Paulo Souza, who emphasized the role of LILACS in consolidating regional information sovereignty and highlighted the platform update as a step forward in strengthening cooperative networks and innovating health information management.

The program also included a presentation of the LILACS Plus collection by Verônica Abdala, BIREME’s Information Products and Services (IPS) manager, highlighting the advances promoted by the new collection in the visibility of regional scientific output. Next, Sueli Mitiko Yano Suga, FIR/PSI Supervisor, presented the LILACS Panorama, including the characterization of the profile of indexed journals and a demonstration of database growth indicators, in addition to highlighting the Network’s participation and the impact of the ecosystem over four decades of cooperative operation.

On November 3, prior to the ABEC Meeting 2025, which took place from November 4 to 7 at Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB) in João Pessoa, a special session was held entitled “LILACS, 40 years of commitment by BIREME/PAHO/WHO to the democratization of health science in Brazil.” On that occasion, the presenters revisited the trajectory of LILACS, highlighting its importance and impact on the dissemination of Health Science in the Region. Sueli Suga, FIR/PSI supervisor, led the activity, which was attended by more than 30 people.

Also in November, LILACS was featured in the opening ceremony and scientific program of the XXIII National Seminar on University Libraries (SNBU 2025), held in São Paulo from November 17 to 20. On the first day of the event, a ceremony paid tribute to BIREME and LILACS, with the presentation of a commemorative plaque and a speech of recognition by the Brazilian Federation of Associations of Librarians, Information Scientists, and Institutions (FEBAB).

Other outreach activities for engagement were also conducted during SNBU 2025, with emphasis on the following oral communications that are published and available in the proceedings of the meeting:

LILACS is a collective asset of Health Science, strengthening regional research, contributing to the formulation of public policies, and supporting professionals, students, and managers in making evidence-based decisions. For 40 years, it has been a benchmark for the future of health information management in the region.

The DeCS team at BIREME has published a detailed text alluding to the date in Portuguese, Spanish, and English: LILACS 40 years

 

Invitation

We invite LILACS collaborators, editors, and users to share their testimonials and experiences, highlighting how LILACS has contributed to strengthening access to and dissemination of scientific knowledge in their contexts of activity:

Portuguese: https://bit.ly/LILACS40anos-depoimento

Spanish: https://bit.ly/LILACS40anos-testimonio

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/11/30/lilacs-40-years-of-visibility-to-scientific-output-in-the-region/

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Evidence Map on Climate Change and Health for public policy in Brazil

Climate change is no longer a distant prediction but a concrete reality that affects the lives and health of millions of people. Heat waves, floods, droughts, air pollution, and other extreme events have caused disease and economic and social losses around the world.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that between 2030 and 2050, climate impacts will cause around 250,000 premature deaths per year, at a global cost of more than $2 billion annually. In addition, one in 12 hospitals is at risk of shutdown due to climate-related causes, according to the COP30 Special Report “Health and Climate Change: Implementing the Belém Health Action Plan,” released by the Brazilian Ministry of Health and the WHO on November 14, 2025, during the Summit.

In this context, and in search of evidence-based options to mitigate the effects of climate change on the health of the population, Brazil’s Ministry of Health, through the Department of Science and Technology (DECIT/MS), and BIREME, a Specialized Center of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (BIREME/PAHO/WHO), developed the Evidence Map on Climate Change and Health.

A global view of scientific evidence

The study mapped and gathered scientific evidence from 37 systematic reviews that analyzed options for interventions and actions to reduce the impacts of climate change on people’s health and lives.

On the chart, the mapped evidence is graphically represented by associating climate interventions, such as the use of renewable energy, sustainable urban planning, and others, with outcomes in people’s health and lives. In total, the map shows 219 associations between interventions and outcomes.

Among the associations, 57% (124 out of 219) had positive effects and 14% (30/219) showed potential benefits. Among the most frequent impacts are reduced morbidity and mortality, improved physical and mental health, prevention of infectious diseases, and strengthened social equity.

Among the interventions analyzed, those that had the greatest positive effect on health are linked to:

  • Sustainable urban planning, with the creation of green areas and blue infrastructure (such as parks, rivers, and lakes);
  • Use of renewable and clean energy, which reduces pollutant emissions;
  • Active and sustainable transportation, such as encouraging the use of bicycles and low-emission public transportation;
  • Climate adaptation, such as measures aimed at thermal resilience, which reduce the risk of illness and death during heat waves.

Children, the elderly, pregnant women, people with disabilities, outdoor workers, and populations living in risk areas—such as coastal regions, urban peripheries, and places with low vegetation cover—are among the most exposed groups. These populations suffer more intensely from air pollution, extreme heat, and lack of access to basic services such as drinking water and sanitation.

In this sense, the evidence systematized in this map reinforces that adaptation and mitigation actions must prioritize equity and climate justice, ensuring that public policies consider different social and environmental contexts.

Science to guide decisions and public policies

The Evidence Map comes at a decisive moment for Brazil and the world, with COP30 taking place and discussions on energy transition, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, social development, and climate finance. The Map can serve as a basis of evidence to support national policies and international commitments to address the impacts of climate change.

On the other hand, it also shows a lack of research on the resilience of health systems and services in the face of extreme weather events and points to the need to expand scientific production and strengthen integration between the health, environment, and urban planning sectors.

More than a systematization of evidence, the Map represents a call to action. It shows that sustainable measures, when planned in an integrated and science-based manner, can save lives, reduce inequalities, and strengthen social and environmental resilience. With the advance of the climate crisis, investing in adaptation and mitigation policies is not just an environmental issue, it is an essential public health agenda.

Learn more

The Evidence Map on Climate Change and Health will soon be available in the Virtual Health Library – Evidence Maps Portal. The resource is being developed with the collaboration of a technical working group from DECIT/MS, the General Coordination of Climate Change and Health Equity (DVSAT/SVSA/MS), and BIREME/PAHO/WHO.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/11/30/evidence-map-on-climate-change-and-health-for-public-policy-in-brazil/

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Guatemala VHL relaunch with the PHC and Nutrition Project Window of Knowledge

Guatemala celebrated a strategic milestone for strengthening information management with the official relaunch of its Virtual Health Library – Guatemala VHL. The ceremony brought together representatives from PAHO/WHO, the University of San Carlos of Guatemala (USAC), BIREME/PAHO/WHO, and national institutions that are part of the VHL Network, consolidating a collective effort that spans more than two decades.

The event was held on November 26, 2025, in person at the Central Campus of USAC, with remote participation by BIREME and live broadcast on Facebook (LINK). The ceremony featured a welcome by Alba Dely Ramos, coordinator of the Guatemala VHL Advisory Committee, opening remarks by Alfredo Moreno, coordinator of the Graduate School of the USAC Faculty of Medical Sciences, and speeches by Alma Morales, PAHO/WHO Representative in Guatemala and João Paulo de Souza, director of BIREME/PAHO/WHO.

The new interface of the Guatemala VHL, highlighting its objectives, features, and benefits, was presented by Valentina Santacruz, a documentalist at the Library of the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP). The event also featured a presentation of the Primary Health Care (PHC) and Nutrition Project Window of Knowledge, part of the “K’at: Living Memory Network” initiative, developed under the coordination of Alexandre Florencio, advisor on Health Systems and Services, and presented by Karen Cardona, consultant on Communication, Visibility, and Knowledge Management at PAHO/WHO Guatemala.

Guatemala VHL: a living organism that renews and evolves

In his speech, the director of BIREME/PAHO/WHO, João Paulo de Souza, emphasized that the relaunch of Guatemala VHL represents much more than a technological update: it is the reaffirmation of a historic commitment that began in the late 1990s, when the country decided to build its own national Virtual Health Library. “The VHL goes through continuous cycles; it is born, matures, evolves, and is reborn,” he said, emphasizing that Guatemala VHL is now experiencing a new moment, marked by expanded capabilities, new partnerships, and renewed energy.

The director emphasized that Virtual Health Library fulfils a role that goes beyond that of a repository. “The VHL instances are platforms for cooperation, bringing together institutions, research traditions, universities, ministries, and communities, functioning as meeting spaces for those who produce, organize, and use information to save lives, support public policies, teach, innovate, and transform realities.”

João Paulo also highlighted Guatemala’s growing role in the VHL Network. He noted that the coordination of institutions and the country’s ongoing contributions to the regional LILACS database demonstrate its active integration into an international knowledge-sharing system, representing progress sustained by genuine cooperation, institutional trust, and a shared vision.

New interface: modern, accessible, and aligned with VHL Network standards

During the ceremony, PAHO/WHO representative in Guatemala Alma Morales emphasized that the relaunch of Guatemala VHL “is not just a technological update, but a commitment to quality, transparency, and equity in access to health information.” She highlighted that the VHL has established itself as a key space for organizing and preserving national scientific output in open access and supporting research, training, and public policy making.

Alma Morales also noted that Guatemala currently has 1,190 scientific journal records indexed in LILACS, strengthening the visibility of science produced in the country. She reiterated the importance of evidence, community participation, and PHC for strengthening the health system and thanked the teams and institutions that support the platform.

With technical support from BIREME, the new Guatemala VHL interface presented during the event includes technical details such as updated design and accessibility; WordPress hosting; reorganization of information types and sources; more user-friendly and responsive navigation; and full integration with VHL Model methodologies, including improved search mechanisms.

At the end of the ceremony, it was clear that Guatemala VHL is beginning a new cycle sustained by a legacy of cooperation, installed technical capacity, and a national network committed to keeping alive a platform that is essential for science and public health in the country.

Access the Guatemala VHL and learn about the Window of Knowledge PHC and Nutrition Project.

See also the news item published by PAHO Guatemala (in Spanish) Guatemala presenta la Vitrina del Conocimiento del Proyecto de Atención Primaria en Salud y Nutrición integrada a la BVS Guatemala.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/11/30/guatemala-vhl-relaunch-with-the-phc-and-nutrition-project-window-of-knowledge/

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BIREME presents innovations at SNBU 2025

BIREME/PAHO/WHO participated in the XXIII National Seminar on University Libraries (Seminário Nacional de Bibliotecas Universitárias, SNBU 2025), held from November 17 to 20, in São Paulo, Brazil, whose central topic was “Open Science: (im)possible reality?” It brought together experts, professionals, and students from across the country to discuss innovation, trends, and contemporary challenges facing university libraries in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.

At the opening of the event, LILACS, which mark its 40th anniversary in 2025, was highlighted in a special ceremony that paid tribute to BIREME and the database, with the presentation of a commemorative plaque and a speech of recognition by the Brazilian Federation of Associations of Librarians, Information Scientists, and Institutions (FEBAB). The celebration marked the beginning of the scientific program activities and recognized the historical role of LILACS as the main regional database of the Virtual Health Library (VHL).

Over the four days, BIREME’s technical team presented studies, digital solutions, and cooperation experiences that are part of the regional strategy for health information and knowledge management. Discussions emphasized the use of artificial intelligence, interoperability, and new approaches to the organization, visibility, and retrieval of scientific information on a large scale. Participation in roundtable discussions and lectures on library cooperation, search strategies, and scientific dissemination were also in focus.

Innovation and Artificial Intelligence for health information management

Among the highlights of BIREME’s participation, two technologies received special attention from the public due to their relevance to the field of information science and their potential applications in digital libraries and scientific databases.

The study “Specialization of artificial intelligence for automatic indexing in Health Sciences: integration of the DeCS Finder AI tool with Annif” reported the implementation of a solution that combines advanced natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms with the controlled vocabulary DeCS, managed by BIREME for subject indexing in LILACS and other databases that comprise the VHL, and the algorithm called DeCS Highlighter.

The resulting interface allows supervised curation for semi-automatic indexing, while future plans call for its integration into the production environment (FI-Admin) for indexing automation. The service has already generated growing interest from the library community, as evidenced in other works at the event that included analyses and citations of the service, highlighting BIREME as a reference in artificial intelligence and infrastructure modernization for technological innovation in information management.

Another highlight in the use of artificial intelligence was presented in the paper “Super Summaries: artificial intelligence in promoting agile access to scientific information in health”, which caught the attention of participants as an innovation developed by BIREME to promote faster and more efficient access to scientific health information.

The solution uses Small Language Models (SLM) adjusted to generate synthetic versions of scientific article abstracts, maintaining high semantic fidelity and offering a powerful tool for quickly screening documents indexed in LILACS and other indexed databases. Developed in an on-premises infrastructure, with a focus on technological sovereignty, sustainability, and data protection, Super Summaries represents an advance in the information services offered by the VHL, contributing to faster and more informed decision-making in the health context.

Two other presentations coordinated by BIREME teams were also part of the scientific program and are available in the event proceedings.

Visibility and interaction with the community

Throughout the event, BIREME maintained a booth dedicated to the VHL Network in Brazil and its information sources, with technical sessions, product demonstrations, and dialogue with the public. The visibility given to the VHL portals, the DeCS thesaurus, the DeCS Finder AI tool, and the LILACS database and journal profiles, which turned 40 in 2025, strengthens PAHO/WHO’s mission to promote health through access to and management of technical and scientific information and knowledge.

One of the dimensions of BIREME’s sustainability comes from its interaction with the community, especially at SNBU, the largest library event in Brazil, in which BIREME has always participated. In 2025, the event enabled the strengthening of institutional relations with partners, users, and historical supporters who have collaborated for decades in strengthening the VHL Network with its information sources in Brazil and other countries in the Latin American and Caribbean Region.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/11/30/bireme-presents-innovations-at-snbu-2025/

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Honduras VHL for the scientific information in the country

The celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Honduras Virtual Health Library – Honduras VHL, held on November 7, 2025, in Tegucigalpa, marks the consolidation of its trajectory as one of the most relevant initiatives for democratizing access to scientific health information in the country. The celebration brought together national authorities, health professionals, librarians, teachers, researchers, students, and representatives of international organizations, highlighting the strategic role of the VHL in training, research, and decision-making in Public Health.

During the ceremony, the Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information (BIREME/PAHO/WHO) received special recognition from the Honduras VHL Advisory Committee for its ongoing technical support, highlighting BIREME’s permanent contribution to strengthening health information and knowledge management in the country, a central element in consolidating evidence-based public policies.

In his remarks, BIREME Director João Paulo Souza highlighted the Honduran network’s historic commitment and exemplary dedication: “The trajectory of the Honduras VHL shows the transformative impact of health information management. This is a milestone achieved by a broad community committed to continuous collaboration with national institutions”. The ceremony, which was also broadcasted to PAHO staff in the country, brought together in-person and virtual participants.

Dengue Window of Knowledge

One of the highlights of the celebration was the official launch of the Window of Knowledge Dengue in Honduras (in Spanish), a new digital tool integrated into the Honduras VHL portal. The initiative brings together up-to-date scientific evidence, educational resources, epidemiological data, guidelines, technical standards, and strategic materials to support professionals, managers, and researchers in the national response to dengue fever. For PAHO Honduras, this is a significant advance in the articulation between knowledge and action, which highlights the importance of reliable information for health emergencies.

Recognized technical cooperation

José Ángel Vásquez, Director of the Planning and Management Evaluation Unit of the Honduran Ministry of Health, highlighted the strategic role of the VHL over the past two and a half decades, stating that “the Honduras VHL has been key in ensuring access to reliable scientific information, supporting evidence-based public policies, and promoting health research. It is our commitment to further strengthen its strategic use.”

Subsequently, Cecilia García, head of the National Medical Library at the National Autonomous University of Honduras (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, UNAH), presented a summary of the main advances and challenges of Honduras VHL, recognizing the ongoing work of the library team and the support of the scientific community. Complementing this perspective, Melissa Mejía, coordinator of the National Advisory Committee, acknowledged the collective commitment that has sustained the development of the VHL, highlighting the often-silent work of technical teams and institutional collaborators at different stages of the process.

Concluding the presentations, Diogo Alves, Advisor on Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health at PAHO/WHO, congratulated the national institutions on the milestone achieved and emphasized the relevance of technical cooperation with BIREME as a key resource in this quarter century of uninterrupted work, strengthening health systems through the use of scientific evidence. “Let us continue to build together a more informed, resilient, and equitable health system,” celebrated the Advisor.

Lourdes Ramirez, Specialist in Knowledge Management and Communications at PAHO Honduras and focal point for the Regional VHL Network, shared a text at the institutional level of PAHO/WHO about the important event and the recognition of the 25 years of Honduras VHL by local authorities, including the Ministry of Health of Honduras. The images of this news are from this text.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/11/30/honduras-vhl-25-years-for-the-scientific-information-in-the-country/

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CARPHA Evidence Portal: strengthening access to Caribbean health information

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) continues to advance its mandate of strengthening access to strategic health information across the Region. In keeping with this, representatives from ten CARPHA Member States participated in a three-day FI-Admin Training Workshop, aimed at improving the indexing, management, and visibility of regional health literature.

The workshop was facilitated by Marcia Barretto, ITI Coordinator of the Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information a Specialized Center of Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (BIREME/PAHO/WHO) and subsidized by the ACP-EU Programme. It forms part of CARPHA’s ongoing efforts to enhance knowledge management capacity across Member States. Participants gained hands-on experience in metadata entry, controlled vocabularies, and quality assurance within the FI-Admin platform.

As a result of this collaboration, more than 200 new grey literature records, including reports, policy documents, and technical papers from CARPHA and Member States, on country-specific information on Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases, have been indexed and made available via the CARPHA Evidence Portal. This growing repository supports evidence-informed decision-making helping health professionals, policymakers, and researchers across the Caribbean to access reliable, regionally relevant information.

The FI-Admin is used to manage and upload bibliographic records to the CARPHA Evidence Portal and the regional LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature) database. LILACS is coordinated regionally by BIREME that is implementing a series of communication activities in the context of its 40th anniversary since the end of October 2025.

CARPHA and BIREME continue to work together to strengthen regional capacity in information management and visibility, promoting the use of regional evidence to inform public health action and policy. The BIREME Bulletin, published monthly in three languages, contains the news (link) about joint actions between the Center and CARPHA to promote the visibility and dissemination of health information in Caribbean countries.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/11/30/carpha-evidence-portal-strengthening-access-to-caribbean-health-information/

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WHO TMGL pre-launch and the VHL TCIM recognition

BIREME/PAHO/WHO was present at the 3rd World Congress on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine(3rdWCTCIM), in Río de Janeiro, Brazil, when João Paulo Souza, the Director of BIREME participated representing WHO and PAHO highlighting the MTCI importance in the Americas Region and the pre-launch of the Global Library of Traditional Medicine (WHO TMGL) was made.The WHO TMGL is an initiative led by BIREME and the World Health Organization Global Traditional Medicine Center (WHO GTMC), in collaboration with other institutions and collaboration networks.

João Paulo explained that “The WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library will be a large multi-epistemic repository of knowledge to facilitate collaboration, research, and implementation of traditional, complementary, and integrative policies and practices that are all effective and safe and enable progress toward health.” He informed the WHO TMGL official launch during the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, to be held in India on December 2025 and that participants could present suggestion and recommendations for the strengthening of the Library.

The library will have thematic pages that will allow the content to be deepened in specific areas. The first one, presented during the event in the pre-launch session of the WHO TMGL, is dedicated to Traditional Midwifery in the Americas, a collaborative work with the Department of Social and Environmental Determinants for Equity in Health (DHE) and BIREME/PAHO/WHO.

In the event BIREME/PAHO/WHO had a booth for the dissemination of its information products and services focusing on the WHO TMGL when visitors could also indicate suggestions and propose technical and strategic alliances for its strengthening.

Key meetings were held regarding the Thematic Pages: Dr. Philippe Sterlingot, president of the Osteopathic International Alliance, expressed his interest in collaborating with the WHO TMGL starting in 2026, and meetings were held to define cooperation strategies. Dr. Dora Pachova, from the European Committee for Homeopathy, expressed her intention to develop a page on Homeopathy focused on research; while with Erick Baars, from the Anthroposophic Medicine Research Council, progress was made in planning the Thematic Page on Anthroposophy Medicine. Mirelys Díaz presented the co-creation framework designed to guide the development of these thematic spaces within the WHO TMGL.

Among the highlights of the booth was the presentation of the Brazil Page on the WHO TMGL, with the presence of Daniel Miele Amado, consultant for the project and Manager of the Technical Unit for the Management of the National Policy on Integrative and Complementary Practices (PNPIC – Portuguese acronym) of the Department of Prevention and Health Promotion of the Secretariat of Primary Health Care of the Ministry of Health of Brazil. During the session, the multi-epistemic approach reflected in the page’s new information architecture was highlighted, serving as a model for other countries to represent the integration of Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) in their national health systems.

The exchange with the TCIM network of the Americas and the activities for the 40 Years of LILACS, along with the promotion of the TCIM Virtual Health Library (VHL TCIM), strengthened regional cooperation and concluded a week of high visibility for BIREME’s products.

The activities were led by BIREME Director João Paulo Souza, accompanied by Verônica Abdala, Manager, and Mirelys Días, Senior Information Analyst, who are also part of the WHO TMGL development team.

VHL TCIM for the Americas

The Virtual Health Library of Traditional Complementary and Integrative Medicines (VHL TCIM) developed and coordinated by BIREME/OPS/OMS was a reference in the Region of the Americas for the WHO TMGL, which uses the experience and methodologies developed through this VHL to define its structure, content curation and expansion planning at a global level.

In BIREME Bulletin is possible to access the historical news on the VHL MTCI since its conception (link).

Also visit: BIREME/PAHO and the Pre-Launch of the WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/10/29/who-tmgl-pre-launch-and-the-vhl-tcim-recognition/

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Traditional Birth Attendants in the Americas Thematic Page

The WHO TMGL will feature thematic pages that will allow the delve deeper into the content in specific areas. The first, presented during the WHO TMGL pre-launch event, is dedicated to Traditional Birth Attendants in the Americas, a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) development in collaboration with the Department of Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity (DHE) and the Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Science Information (BIREME).

“Traditional birth attendant represents one of the oldest and most profound expressions of human knowledge. It is a practice that has accompanied women, families, and communities through the most important moments in life: birth, the care of life, and the continuity of existence. Through this new section in the Global Library, PAHO seeks to recognize, make visible, and preserve the ancestral knowledge of traditional birth attendants that, generation after generation, has contributed to maternal, newborn, and community health worldwide,” explained Gerry Eijkemans, Director of DHE.

The Traditional Birth Attendants Thematic Page is the tangible result of this collaboration, integrating editorial content with a literature review, testimonials from Indigenous and Afro-descendant birth attendants, multimedia resources, and links to regulatory frameworks and intercultural policies.

This development exemplifies how co-creation between technical teams and communities can strengthen the visibility of traditional practices, promote intercultural dialogue, and serve as a replicable model for future WHO TMGL thematic pages.

“This was a unique opportunity to collectively validate the development of the Traditional Birth Attendants page at WHO TMGL, strengthening its cultural and technical relevance before its official launch,” said Mirelys Díaz, who is part of the team responsible for developing WHO TMGL at the Center.

The topics of Anthroposophical Medicine, Integrative Pediatrics, Integrative Oncology, Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homeopathy will be part of the next development phase of the WHO TMGL Thematic Pages, strengthening cooperation with international networks and specialists in TCIM.

Each thematic page will follow a standardized structure, organized into sections that combine contextual narrative, informational resources, and a dynamic space for news and events. The purpose is to connect scientific evidence with ancestral knowledge and community experiences, thus within the context of the innovations that characterize the information products and services developed and coordinated regionally by BIREME/PAHO/WHO.

Also visit: BIREME/PAHO and the Pre-Launch of the WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/10/29/traditional-birth-attendants-in-the-americas-thematic-page/

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Health Information Products and the Digital Transformation

A highlight of the Information Products and Services of the Latin American and Caribbean Center for Health Sciences Information (BIREME) is available at https://www.bireme.org/, also within the context of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) flagship initiatives that include digital transformation in health information management.

This highlights the operation and ongoing development of the Virtual Health Library (VHL) ecosystem in 36 countries, accessed by 9.5 million users with 60 million visits/year and 730,000 full-text downloads. Among the developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions are Automated Syntheses and Super Summaries; Automated Indexing, DeCS Finder AI; and Natural Language Processing.

To strengthen the decision-making capacity of health personnel and communities regarding the Organization’s priorities, BIREME provides the operation and ongoing development of platforms such as ProEthos, BIGG/BIGG REC, and the Good Practices Platform, which support the ethical management of research, the systematization of evidence-based guidelines and recommendations (GRADE), and the dissemination of successful experiences in public health. These digital solutions contribute to transparency, cooperation, and informed decision-making in the countries of the Region.

The Brazilian SUS Digital Platform, which integrates the Formative Second Opinion (SOF), Decision Aids, and the Interagency Health Information Network (RIPSA) Portal, represents a model of innovation and support for the Unified Health System (SUS). The SOF integrates more than 1,800 frequently asked questions that cover 65% of primary care demands in Brazil. The Decision Aids for the general public initially cover the topics of maternal and reproductive health and rights. This digital ecosystem reinforces the regional commitment to equitable access to knowledge and the improvement of clinical, community, and management decisions. The RIPSA Portal contains basic health data indicators in Brazil and their publications.

At the 62nd PAHO/WHO Directing Council (CD62), held from September 29 to October 3, 2025, BIREME presented its scientific information products and services. The Center’s Director, João Paulo Souza, highlighted these information products and services coordinated regionally by BIREME, its strategic alliances, new initiatives, and innovative solutions for promoting scientific knowledge in different health contexts.

The bireme.org portal can be accessed in Spanish, English, and Portuguese, and all the aforementioned information products and services can be accessed there.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/10/29/health-information-products-and-the-digital-transformation/

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The VHL of the Ministry of Health of Brazil has a new interface

The new interface of the Virtual Health Library of the Ministry of Health (MoH Brazil VHL) was launched on October 21, 2025, at an event held at the Ministry of Health Library in Brasília (DF, Brazil). The event was attended by representatives from the four technical areas of the General Coordination of Documentation and Information (CGDI), the Archive, Library, Publishing House, and Health Cultural Center, and BIREME/PAHO/WHO, represented by Senior Information Analyst Joanita Aparecida de Barros.

Librarian Iramaia Alves presented the main new features of the portal’s new version, in the context of the celebrations for the 72nd anniversary of the Ministry of Health Library. She also highlighted the significant growth in the number of users and visits between 2019 and 2024, and emphasized the most accessed sources of information, such as Health Tips, recognized for its use of accessible language, emerging topics, and reliable sources, which expand the reach of the MS VHL to the public.

One of the highlights of the new interface is its revamped visual design, whose colors were inspired by the work of artist Athos Bulcão, installed in the Ministry of Health Library since 2002. This artistic reference reinforces the link between art, culture, and health, enhancing the physical space of the Library and reflecting its historical and symbolic identity in the digital environment.

During the event, the Head of the Ministry of Health Library, Sandra Teixeira, and the General Coordinator of CGDI, Eva Lopes, highlighted the importance of integrating the areas of the Coordination and recognized the MS VHL as the virtual gateway to the Ministry of Health Library.

Eva emphasized the relevance of the participation of the four areas of the CGDI in the event and expressed her appreciation for the dedication and commitment of the Library team, emphasizing that the results achieved were possible due to the commitment and collective work of the professionals involved. She also acknowledged BIREME for its presence and highlighted the Center’s historic partnership with the Ministry of Health, which has enabled the development of innovative products and services and the consolidation of MoH Brazil VHL as a national reference in scientific health information.

BIREME’s participation reinforced the technical cooperation with the Ministry of Health for the democratization of access to scientific information and the continuous improvement of the VHL Network platforms in Brazil and other countries in the Latin American and Caribbean Region.

The event symbolized an important step toward modernizing the MoH Brazil VHL and strengthening the health information network in Brazil, reaffirming the commitment of BIREME/PAHO/WHO to innovation and equitable access to scientific knowledge in health at a time when the Unified Health System (SUS) is celebrating its 35th anniversary and the General Coordination of Documentation and Information (CGDI) of the Ministry of Health is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

About the MoH Brazil VHL – Information Sources

Reference bibliographic databases, such as ColecionaSUS, LILACS and Medline, and full-text databases are available for searching the physical and digital collection of books, primers, manuals, magazines, posters, brochures, policies, national programs, legislation, and other services.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/10/29/the-brazilian-ministry-of-healths-vhl-has-a-new-interface/