Washington DC, February 23, 2021 (PAHO) - The Pan American Health Organization participated in the “4th Regional Technical Meeting of Interprofessional Education (IPE) in the Americas” held virtually on 23 and 30 November 2020. The theme of the event was" Resilient health systems for interprofessional collaboration in the COVID-19 pandemic era: experiences in the Region of the Americas”.
Representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Uruguay presented on the progress and challenges of the countries in the experiences of Interprofessional Education in the last two years.
The opening session was attended by representatives from PAHO/WHO country office in Uruguay; Giovanni Escalante and Wilson Benia; and PAHO Advisor on Development of Human Resources for Health, José Francisco García Gutiérrez. In their presentations, they raised, among other issues, that in the field of education the Covid-19 pandemic "is forcing us to develop more creativity, flexibility and assertiveness" in all educational spaces (from undergraduate to postgraduate and specialties).
"The COVID-19 pandemic has been an opportunity, allowing the development of creativity, flexibility, and assertiveness in education in all its spaces, from initial education to universities," he said.
At the closing session of the event, representatives from the Regional Network for Interprofessional Education in the Americas (REIP) and from the University Network of Interprofessional Education of the Americas (UNIRED-EIP) of Colombia presented the situation of the REIP 2018-2019 Biennial Work Plan and the proposals of the REIP Biannual Plan (2021-2022).
The event was jointly organized by the Regional Network of Interprofessional Education of the Americas and the Faculty of Nursing of the University of the Republic of Uruguay (known in Spanish as UdelaR), with the sponsorship and support of the Health Area from the university.
More than a thousand people viewed the two-day activity. Authorities from the ministries of health and education, members of the UNIRED-EIP, delegates from health training institutions, and health services from the countries of the Region of the Americas participated.
The recordings of the videos of the presentations and activities of the 4th. Regional Technical Meeting of Interprofessional Education of the Americas are available here.
