Marina Sarruf*
marina.sarruf@anba.com.br
São Paulo – Three technicians from the Ministry of Health of Lebanon are in Brazilian capital Brasília to do a series of training courses in the control of epidemics. The Lebanese, who arrived on Monday and are going to stay until tomorrow (29), are being guided by Brazilian professionals who want to help them act fast when faced with risk.
"The objective of the trip of these Lebanese is to train them technically to work in the area of epidemics and outbreaks of disease. This was one of the areas that we recognized as needy," stated the international cooperation technician at the Ministry of Health of Brazil, Fabio Tagliari. According to him, the training is part of an agreement to help the Arab country that was taken on by Brazil after the attacks by Israel in July and August last year.
In October 2006, the Ministry of Foreign Relations organized a mission to Lebanon with the objective of identifying areas in which Brazil may offer cooperation. The trip included the participation of several ministries, including the Ministry of Health, which was represented by Tagliari and by another two doctors. The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce also participated.
According to Tagliari, the Lebanese are participating in meetings, talks and videoconferences that show the Brazilian experience in the area. "They are very pleased. They pay attention and take note of everything. I think that it will generate good fruit in Lebanon," he said.
Three Brazilian systems are being presented to the Lebanese delegation: the Centre for Strategic Information in Health Vigilance (CIEVS), which is a room equipped with technological resources to receive information about the occurrence of outbreaks of diseases and epidemiological emergencies that place in risk the population anywhere in the country, the National System of Notification of Emergencies (SINAN), responsible for storing and processing figures regarding dangerous diseases, and the National System of Epidemiological Vigilance (SNVE), a work tool to coordinate the national vigilance system in the country.
"They are learning about the structure at the Ministry of Health so that they may take the experience to Lebanon," stated Tagliari. According to him, this training is being financed by the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), an organization connected to the Brazilian Foreign Office (Itamaraty). "After the war, the country has received much money and equipment, but now technical training is lacking, and that is what we are offering," he added.
According to Tagliari, the Ministry of Health should receive another two delegations, one for courses on vigilance, treatment, control and monitoring of the quality of water and another for an updating on some diseases, like measles, rabies and typhoid fever, among others. "It is a revision of the protocol of pathologies. They need to update themselves," he said.
*Translated by Mark Ament
