Alfredo da Matta Hospital gains worldwide recognition in the fight against leprosy

HEALTH

WHO wants to take work done in Manaus as an example for other countries

Manaus (AM) – On Wednesday (1st), the Alfredo da Matta Hospital Foundation (Fuham), an institution linked to the State Department of Health, was visited by a delegation of representatives of the Global Leprosy Program of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Ministry of Health. The objective of the visiting professionals was to learn about Fuham’s action strategies in the prevention, care and treatment of the disease in the Amazon.

In a whole day of visiting Fuham’s facilities, talking with professionals from all areas and meetings with teams from the interior, via teleconference, the visitors concluded that Amazonas has several examples to be shown and implemented in other countries, mainly in North America. South.

Leader of the delegation, the WHO representative, Indian physician Venkata Ranganadha Rao Pemmaraju, stressed that he was “impressed” to see what is being carried out by the Alfredo da Matta Foundation.

“I am very happy for the existence and performance of the center (Fuham). We can encourage countries neighboring Brazil to use these strategies to maintain the quality of services,” said Pemmaraju.

“Seeing WHO and PAHO come to visit us, share their work plans and ask for support, that we participate in leprosy elimination policies is a great honor”, ​​said the director-president of Fuham, dermatologist Carlos Chirano.

Approved strategies

Among the strategies identified as innovative, according to the visitors, carrying out dermatological joint efforts, such as the one carried out on the last January 28th, the use of teleconferencing for patient care and training of professionals from the interior and the face-to-face examination of students, minors 15 years, were the ones that drew the most attention.

“We returned very optimistic with the work (Fuham) that has been done and will continue as a collaborating center of OSM and PAHO, and that it can support not only this state, but also other countries”, said Miguel Aragon, representative of PAHO .

The member of the entourage for the Ministry of Health, Alexandre Macedo, confirmed the impression that everyone had during the visit.

“Look at this experience in the state of Amazonas as a great example, it is a source of great pride for us, a partnership, a joint work where we can learn and exchange experiences”, he said.

Positive result

In practice, the Alfredo da Matta Foundation will already see the practical results of this visit. Besides the confirmation of being a reference institution in the work against leprosy in the world, a condition it has held since 1998, when it was accredited by the WHO, the updating of information, the transfer of technology to the Amazonian institution is a real gain.

“It was a very good exchange and for us it will be very enriching because we will be working with tools that they will send and implementing some ideas that were suggested during the meetings”, said Valderiza Pedrosa, coordinator of the State Program for Leprosy Control in Amazonas.

With advisory information*

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