Montevideo, 30 April 2023. The Latin American Centre for Perinatology - Women's and Reproductive Health (CLAP/WR) received Vera Therezinha Borges and Marilza Vieira Cunha Rudge, professors and researchers of the Postgraduate Programme in Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Faculty of Medicine of Botucatu-UNESP of Brazil, with the aim of presenting the work carried out by the centre and establishing a plan for joint cooperation in scientific and technological research for the development of research projects in maternal and perinatal health.
The specific objectives of the visit, which took place from 25 to 27 April, were: to promote the internationalisation of the University's Postgraduate Programme in Obstetrics and Gynaecology; to work on a joint project to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality; to incorporate the Perinatal Information System (SIP) into the hospital's clinical history; and to contribute to the enrolment of international students in the Postgraduate Programme in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Prof. Vera Therezinha Borges, coordinator of the Post Graduation Programme in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, was in charge of presenting the main lines of action of the Botucatu Medical School, the Botucatu Clinic Hospital and the Post Graduation Programme. On the latter, Prof. Marilza Vieira Cunha Rudge emphasised the possibilities of cooperation to bring in new students and to deepen research on topics that are of interest to the centre.
On behalf of CLAP/WR, presentations were made on the different areas and strategic lines that are promoted. In particular, presentations were given on: SIP and its potential; sexual and reproductive health and, in particular, strategies for capacity building in post obstetric event contraception (AIPEO, for its acronym in Spanish) and family planning; neonatal health and its approach through the data obtained through the SIP; maternal health, current challenges and the constitution and functioning of the Network for surveillance and research in maternal health. Communication and knowledge management issues were also addressed.
At the end of the exchange that took place during the three days, Vera Therezinha Borges said that they left "with many plans and agreements to develop joint actions that will surely benefit the population".
For her part, Marilza Vieira Cunha Rudge said, "Among the first steps planned, we will begin with the installation of the SIP in the Botucatu maternity ward, which will greatly facilitate and expand the collection of data that, in turn, will be shared with other maternity wards in the region through the CLAP networks for research. There are many things that we were able to resolve and that makes us very happy".
After the visit, a report was drawn up detailing the agreements reached and the lines of action proposed to advance inter-institutional cooperation.
