The II International Seminar on Nutrition in Primary Health Care (PHC), organized by the Ministry of Health of Brazil, with the collaboration of the Pan American Health Organization will be held virtually on 15th, 16th and 17th February, from 2.00 to 6.00 pm (Brasilia time).
The event aims to continue and expand the discussions of the previous event, taking into account WHO´s recommendations as well as the provisions of the Work Plan of the United Nations Decade of Action for Nutrition. The II Seminar will be of paramount importance to disseminate technical-scientific information and foster exchanges of experiences. Furthermore, the promotion of spaces for discussion and proposition of actions by state and municipal coordinators of food and nutrition, managers and professionals involved in the development of these actions in the territories, as well as researchers and students and other relevant stakeholders, will be crucial to build an integrative model of food and nutrition actions within PHC, at national and international levels.
Among the participants there will be representatives from different countries (Spain, Canada, Bolivia and the United Kingdom), as well as specialists, researchers, students and other professionals interested on the topic. Those interested in participate should go to https://nutricaoaps.com.br/en/home-english/ and click on the register button. The agenda is also available on the webpage.
How to participate
- DATES: 15th, 16th, 17th February, 2022
- TIME: 2.00 to 6.00 pm (Brasilia time) [check below the time correspondence in other cities
- REGISTER: https://nutricaoaps.com.br/en/home-english/#register
- LANGUAGES: Portuguese, English and Spanish, with simultaneous interpretation in those languages.
Livestream
Objectives
General
The main objective of the II International Seminar on Food and Nutrition in PHC is to disseminate technical-scientific information and promote the exchange of national and international experiences to help build an integrative model of food and nutrition actions within the work process and organization of PHC.
Specific objectives:
- Know the international recommendations on food and nutrition in PHC of WHO and/or others;
- Foster the identification of effective food and nutrition strategies in PHC;
- Facilitate the debate and identification and sharing of national and international experiences of food and nutrition in PHC;
- Expand knowledge of research and studies on food and nutrition in PHC in Brazil and other countries;
- Mobilize the Brazilian Single Health Sistema (SUS by its Brazilian Acronym) food and nutrition network to improve Nutritional Care;
- Rescue and continue the discussions initiated during the I International Seminar on Nutrition in Primary Health Care;
- Identify advances and challenges in the food and nutrition agenda in PHC;
- Foster the debate on how current global issues impact the work of PHC and,food and nutrition actions; and
- Foster the debate on training and multidisciplinary work in the context of food and nutrition care in PHC.
Background
The current epidemiological scenario is marked by the multiple burden of malnutrition, with an increase in the prevalence of different diseases associated with poor diets, including chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This scenario is aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic, associated with the persistence of social and economic inequalities, unhealthy eating and sedentary lifestyles, among other factors, and constitutes a public health challenge that requires discussion, reflection and exchanges of experiences to be effectively tackled by different actors, including academia, public policy makers, managers and health professionals, as well as civil society.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has pointed out the need for health systems to be reorganized based on Primary Health Care (PHC), recognizing its role in ensuring comprehensive care (1). PHC encompasses health promotion, protection, prevention and rehabilitation services, as well as actions on health determinants, including social, economic and environmental characteristics and behaviors. Furthermore, it promotes and protects health through evidence-based public policies in all sectors and through the empowerment of individuals and the community. In addition, in 2016, the United Nations (UN) proclaimed the United Nations Decade of Action for Nutrition (2016-2025) with the aim of coordinating efforts to tackle all forms of malnutrition, highlighting the need for collective and convergent work involving different sectors, considering its complexity and multi-determination (2). In this context, universal coverage of actions in nutrition in health systems represents one of the pillars of the UN Decade for Action. This pillar reinforces the importance of universal access to health programs and actions that have an impact on aspects of nutrition, including the prevention and care of all forms of malnutrition, the inclusion of nutrition actions in the scope of health services, as well as training and support to health professionals for nutrition actions to be offered to the population (3).
The Ministry of Health of Brazil, through the General Coordination of Food and Nutrition (CGAN), has been promoting the reorganization of the management processes of programs and actions, strengthening its relations with states and municipalities and encouraging the qualification of health professionals, including nutritionists, to work in PHC.
In 2008, the 1st International Nutrition Seminar in PHC was held, which brought together 400 participants and representatives from 10 countries (Brazil, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Spain, Mexico, United Kingdom and Uruguay). Experiences were shared at the event, providing a reflection on the convergences and divergences regarding nutrition policies, programs and actions in different health systems. In this way, it made it possible to recognize the potential for the construction of actions consistent with the needs of each population, respecting their culture and seeking to promote health and quality of life and the preparation of a set of recommendations, set out in the I Letter of Brasília
(1) Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde. Relatório 30 anos de SUS, que SUS para 2030? Brasilia : OPAS; 2018
(2) World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Driving commitment for nutrition within the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition: policy brief. Geneva: WHO, 2018.
(3) World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition: Work Programme. Geneva: WHO, 2019.
Time correspondence
- 11.00 am - Belmopan, Bridgetown, Guatemala City, Mexico City, San José
- 12.00 pm - Bogota, Havana, Kingston, Nassau, Panama City, Washington DC
- 1.00 pm - Caracas, Castries, La Paz, San Juan, Santo Domingo
- 2. 00 pm - Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Paramaribo, Santiago
- 6.00 pm - Geneva, Madrid
For other cities, check the following link