57th METROP: opening ceremony enhances science, democracy and strengthening of the SUS

MEDTROP 2022 is a place for major discussions counting with 72 round tables, 50 mini-conferences, 30 conferences, 14 pre-conference courses and five side events

The city of Belém (PA), with its beauties, strong culture, artistic, religious and cultural manifestations, which symbolize the history of the capital of Pará, an incredible tourist destination, this year was the stage of the largest scientific event of Tropical Medicine, the 57th Congress of the Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicine (MEDTROP). For four days, the Hangar Conventions and Exhibition Center of the Amazon, welcomes an audience that exceeds the number of 2,500 people, who will discuss multidisciplinary solutions for the main diseases that affect the Tropics. For such, an intense scientific program was prepared, consisting of 14 pre-conference courses, 50 mini-conferences, 72 round tables, 30 conferences and five satellite events. The program also featured 14 pre-conference courses, 109 free themes for oral presentation and 1,314 poster presentations and a post-conference course.

During the opening ceremony, the president of SBMT, Dr. Júlio Croda, recalled his professional career in favor of science and a life dedicated to vulnerable populations and to research. He emphasized that research, care lines and programs to control tropical diseases should have always taken as a reference the demands and claims of people affected by these diseases. “We must support and legitimize spaces and contribute to the creation of mechanisms that ensure they are heard. We can no longer accept that people die or become incapacitated, due to limitation of diagnosis, effective treatment, vaccine or drugs developed decades ago, he stressed. Dr. Croda also paid tribute to Dr. Lee W. Riley, Dr. Bodo Wanke and Dr. Rosemery Costa Pinto, who recently passed away. He also praised Dr. Ethel Maciel, Dr. Alberto Chebabo and Dr. Margareth Dalcolmo for their performances during the Covid-19 pandemic and for the relevant role in communication and science.

The president of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Dr. Nisia Trindade, stressed that the Unified Health System (SUS) should be a commitment of all. “It is time to reinforce the importance of strengthening the SUS, democracy and popular participation. This is the time to seek innovative solutions for the SUS, many of which are born at the MEDTROP , she pointed out. The representative of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Cássio Peterka, mentioned that the approach of the academy to research is fundamental for the improvement of the SUS. He also pointed out the importance of intersectoriality for the solution of problems in the health area. Finally, the representative of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Miguel Aragón, expressed the privilege of participating, for the first time, in the MEDTROP and congratulated the BSTM for its 60 years of existence, work, endeavor and, mainly, for scientifically documenting and making evidence-based proposals for the fight against all tropical diseases, not only in Brazil, but all around the world.

Young Researcher and Senior Researcher Awards

Also during the opening ceremony, Dr. André Siqueira announced the winners of the Young Researcher Awards in the Undergraduate, Masters and Doctoral categories. The winners in the Undergraduate category were Ivone Chaquiam (1st place), Melisane Ferreira (2nd place) and Renata Lopes (3rd place). In the Masters category, the chosen ones were Thito da Paz (1st place), Raimunda de Souza (2nd place) and Amanda Pereira (3rd place). Finally, in the Doctorate category, the winners were Larissa Kirocovisque (1st place), Diego Guedes (2nd place) and Lourrany Costa (3rd place).

The Carlos Chagas Medal of Scientific Merit, was awarded to the researcher at the Evandro Chagas Institute (IEC), physician Dr. Habib Fraiha Neto. At the IEC, he headed the Parasitology Section, was an associate professor at the Tropical Medicine Center of the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), where he coordinated the Graduate Course in Tropical Diseases. He is a full member of the Pará Academy of Medicine, where he holds the Gaspar Vianna chair. He is also a PhD in Biological Sciences from UFPA for merit of scientific production and former president of the Brazilian Society of Parasitology (biennium 1985-1987). The honor was given by Dr. Mitermayer Galvão dos Reis and Dr. Sinval Pinto Brandão Filho.

The MEDTROP 2022 marks the 60th anniversary of SBMT, one of the oldest and most active scientific societies in Brazil, and brings back face-to-face scientific events, which were being held in a virtual environment due to the pandemic. We are very happy because our expectation was to gather an audience of around two thousand people, including professionals, researchers and students in the health area, a number that was exceeded (2,500 subscribers), with the presence of all 26 Federative Units plus the Federal District, in addition to participants from abroad, celebrated Dr. Croda. Belém do Pará, one of the main cities in the Northern region of Brazil, has important research institutions in the area of tropical and neglected diseases, and is the portal to the Amazon, with remarkable cultural characteristics whether in its dance, food or in the joyful way of living of the people of Pará.