On Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 11:00 AM (Brasilia, UTC-3), BIREME/PAHO/WHO will hold the session “Networks in action: strategic milestones of BIREME, VHL and RIPSA in March”, as part of the program “BIREME 2026: New Releases and Updates”.
The activity aims to expand the visibility of BIREME’s products, services, innovations, and technical cooperation results, promoting greater awareness of solutions developed to strengthen health information and knowledge management in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Held monthly, always on the last Thursday of each month, the program showcases strategic developments led by BIREME, highlighting their impact, applicability, and contributions to digital transformation and equitable access to health information.
The second webinar in the series will highlight four institutional milestones celebrated in March, showcasing the trajectory and role of collaborative networks in the production, management, and use of health information:
• 59 years of BIREME as a regional reference center for health information and knowledge;
• 28 years of the Virtual Health Library (VHL), a model and strategy that consolidates open and equitable access to scientific information in the Region;
• 10 years of VHL Colombia under the coordination of Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud - FUCS, an example of national strengthening of the VHL Network;
• 30 years of the Interagency Health Information Network (RIPSA), a strategic initiative for the organization and standardization of health indicators in Brazil.
The webinar proposes an integrated perspective on these initiatives, highlighting how technical cooperation, networking, and digital innovation have strengthened access, quality, and use of information to support public health decision-making.
Recent developments will be presented, including the modernization of the Regional VHL Portal, which brings together millions of records and integrates products such as LILACS and DeCS, as well as the development of the RIPSA Portal and Indicator Metadata Sheets, which enhance the capacity for analysis and use of health data.
The session will also address country-level experiences in the Region, such as VHL Colombia, demonstrating the potential of institutional collaboration to strengthen knowledge management, promote open access, and support evidence-informed public policies.
Target audience
Professionals and institutions involved in the production, management, dissemination, and use of scientific and technical health information, including:
• Managers and technical staff from ministries of health and partner institutions;
• Coordinators and focal points of the VHL and LILACS networks;
• Information professionals (librarians, documentalists);
• Researchers, faculty, and students;
• Specialists in monitoring and evaluation in health;
• Others interested in health indicators, health data, and public policies.
How to participate
• Date: March 26, 2026
• Time: 11:00 AM (Brasília, UTC-3 – please check your local time)
• Language: Portuguese and Spanish
• Registration: https://bit.ly/bireme-2026-webinar-02
Agenda
• Opening and welcome
• BIREME 59 years: evolution and strategy for digital transformation
João Paulo Souza, Director of BIREME/PAHO/WHO
• VHL 28 years: model, network, and innovation in access to health information
Verônica Abdala, Manager of Information Products and Services at BIREME
• VHL Colombia: 10 years of FUCS leadership – national experience and strengthening of the VHL Network
VHL Colombia Representative
• RIPSA 30 years: health indicators and future perspectives
Juliana Sousa, Librarian and Project Manager, Solutions Development and Emerging Technologies Area, BIREME
• Q&A session
Context
The program “BIREME 2026: New Releases and Updates” is part of BIREME’s institutional communication and technical cooperation strategy for 2026, with monthly sessions held on the last Thursday of each month.
In March, the convergence of institutional milestones highlights the role of BIREME and its networks in promoting equitable access to health information, improving data and indicators, and supporting evidence-informed decision-making, aligned with the strategy Information for Action in Health.
Materials and recording
After the session, the recording will be available on BIREME’s official playlist on PAHO’s YouTube channel (PAHOTV) and indexed in the VHL Repository.
Join us and follow the schedule of BIREME’s webinars program in 2026.
Registration is free at: https://bit.ly/bireme-2026-webinar-02.