PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centre Spotlight Series
Reference Number: ARG-32*
Official Title: PAHO/WHO CC in the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness Strategy
Institution: Maternal and Child Health Department, Maimonides University
Reference Number: USA-379
Official Title: PAHO/WHO CC for Promoting Family and Child Health
Institution: Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, University of Colorado
Reference Number: CUB-24
Official Title: PAHO/ WHO CC for the Development of Genetic Approaches for Health Promotion
Institution: Centro Nacional de Genetica Medica, Instituto Superior de Ciencias Medicas
Category 3 (SP 14-19)
Outcome 2 (SP 20-25)
Dr. Pablo Duran, Regional Advisor, Perinatal Health, is the PAHO staff member who acts as the Region’s focal point to coordinate the collaboration between the institution and the Organization.
The main activities for these Centres include: (1) providing training and simulation material; (2) providing technical expertise, reports and reviews of guidelines; and (3) conducting systematic reviews.
The Centre at Maimonides University provides training and simulation material to train healthcare workers, especially in the context of maternal and child healthcare. The Centre has also produced an expert external review of the Guia de seguimiento de recién nacidos de riesgo and a technical report on training human resources, both of which are under review. Lastly, the Centre contributed to a publication focused on the need for standard definitions and appropriate criteria for a Neonatal Near Miss surveillance system.
The Centre at the University of Colorado has specific and strong technical expertise especially related to systematic reviews, trainings, and clinical guidelines. The Centre has also contributed to technical reports focused on prevention of neonatal infections and prevention of errors that occur in the care of newborns.
The Centre at the Centro Nacional de Genetica Medica presented during an expert meeting in French Guyana on the “Cuban experience on Sickle Cell Anemia Prevention.” The Centre, in April 2019, also participated in a Human Genomics and Global Health meeting in South Africa. This meeting aimed to share work in the different regions, set priorities for Low-Middle Income Countries, provide input that may inform the development of a WHO roadmap on genetics and genomics and review an online course on genetics and genomics. The Centre also created a five-day course based on the Cuban experience on organizing and delivering medical genetic services at the primary health care level. This course was attended by 30 participants from Cuba and Latin American countries in May 2019 and will be offered annually until 2023. The Centre has developed guidelines for designing, setting, conducting and evaluating medical genetic services in Cuba. This document can be useful for other countries in the Region interested in designing medical genetic services at the local, regional or national level. The Spanish version can be accessed here, with the English version currently being translated. Lastly, the Centre contributed to the Virtual Library of Medical Genetics, an information resource available for health professionals globally.
Webnotes such as these serve to inform on how CCs are contributing to the Organization’s priorities and mandates.
*CC expired.