—from Epidemiological Bulletin,
Vol. 24 No. 2, June 2003—
A Time Capsule for Health Situation Analysis
in the Americas, 1902-2002
In 2002, many events and activities throughout the Western hemisphere
commemorated PAHO’s 100 years of existence and the Organization’s
accomplishments in its different areas of work. From its creation in 1902, the
Pan American Sanitary Bureau, PAHO’s technical arm, has had the strategic
function of collecting and disseminating information on the health of the peoples
of the Americas. This has given way to many programs and projects, and generated
a myriad of related products, some of which have an important historical value.
n order to preserve the memory of some of the Organization’s
activities of collection, analysis and dissemination of health information over
the last century, the Brazilian National Epidemiology Center (Centro Nacional
de Epidemiología, CENEPI) and PAHO’s Special Program for Health
Analysis have created a Time Capsule of Health Situation Analysis that will
remain at the Museum of Public Health of the Brazilian National Health Foundation
(Fundaçao Nacional de Saúde, FUNASA) in Brasilia, Brazil for the
next 50 years. Its content consists of a collection of documents considered
to reflect PAHO’s history in health statistics and the evolving nature
of its technical cooperation in epidemiology. It also illustrates the changing
state of health of the populations of the Region over the last century and efforts
in health situation and trends analysis that have accompanied them, as well
as some historic and current tools and the International Classifications used
in health data management and analysis.
The Time Capsule was officially closed on 10 December 2002. It
is hoped that the materials placed in it will provide future generations with
a general view on the evolution of Epidemiology and Health Situation Analysis
in the Americas, from the creation of PAHO to the beginning of the XXI Century.
The Capsule will remain in the custody of the Museum of Public Health in Brasilia
until it is reopened in 2052.
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Epidemiological Bulletin, Vol. 24 No. 2, June
2003
