CEMICAMP (Centre for Research in Reproductive Health of Campinas) was designated as a training center for human resources in research in the area of Sexual and Reproductive Health by the Human Reproduction Program of the World Health Organization (RHR/WHO) for Latin America. and the Caribbean – LID/HUB Project. Within this project, since 2018, we have received health professionals (Doctors, Nurses, Sociologists, etc.) State of Campinas (UNICAMP). The Postgraduate Course is considered level 7 by CAPES, which is the maximum classification granted by the Brazilian Ministry of Education. CEMICAMP, through the LID/HUB project, pays a scholarship for these students, which consists of: round-trip airfare to the country of origin, as well as a monthly stipend similar to that paid by funding agencies in Brazil. The master’s course has a maximum duration of 24 months and the doctoral course has a maximum duration of 48 months. Annually, we announce the selection of new students between September and October, and CLAP/OPS Uruguay supports us in this dissemination to reach countries with a low human development index.

We created a Steering Committee for the HUB/OMS Project to give more transparency to the actions. This group meets every six months. The composition of the Committee made up of the following members:

• • Luis Bahamondes, president of CEMICAMP
  • Luis Carlos Zeferino, Director of the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM)/UNICAMP
  • José Guilherme Cecatti, Coordinator of the DTG/FCM/UNICAMP postgraduate course, Head Professor of Obstetrics DTG/FCM/UNICAMP
  • Ilza Monteiro, volunteer researcher at CEMICAMP
  • Maria Laura Costa, Full Professor DTG/FCM/UNICAMP
  • Luiz Baccaro, Full Professor DTG/FCM/UNICAMP
  • João Luiz de Carvalho Pinto e Silva, Retired Voluntary Professor at DTG/FCM/UNICAMP

With aligned objectives between WHO and CEMICAMP, the resources of the LID/HUB Project were used to develop professional updating courses:

Advanced Statistics for Statisticians – Support for Latin American Research Centers linked to the LID/HUB/WHO Project :

In 2019, during the month of October, we received five statisticians for the advanced statistics course, which were as follows:

• • Diana Martinez, Colombia
  • Fernando Ponce Perez, Honduras
  • Helymar da Costa Machado, Brazil
  • Josymar Santos Palacios, Guatemala
  • Walter Domingo Castelvi Benitez, Paraguay

We also received the Professor from the University of Cali – Colombia, Prof. Dr. Maria Fernanda Escobar Vidarte to sign agreements on the training of professionals at this university. And two students defended their master’s dissertations from the Faculty of Medical Sciences at UNICAMP, on maternal morbidity in women’s health using WHO instruments called WOICE. Both applied and were accepted for the doctorate, continuing their training in the master’s degree.

Multiprofessional Research Methodology Course for professionals in Latin America

Since 2018, CEMICAMP has offered a multi-professional course on research methodology for professionals from Latin American countries in the second semester, with classes in Spanish. The objective of the course is to introduce professionals to the area of research and provide tools for the development of a research project and publication with the data collected.

• 2018 – We used the WEBEX platform with live classes, and we totaled 100 registrations in addition to a waiting list with more than 50 professionals.
• 2019 – We used recorded classes, due to the time difference between Brazil and other countries, and the course had 120 subscribers.
• 2020 – Recorded classes were updated and we got 50 subscribers.

Advanced Biostatistics for graduate students at the Faculty of Medical Sciences at UNICAMP

In the second semester of 2020, from August to November, we offer, with the HUB/OMS Project Resource, an advanced course in advanced biostatistics for graduate students of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at UNICAMP and we have 20 enrollments. The objective of the course was to deepen knowledge and lead young researchers to carry out statistical analyzes of their research projects.

Research Implementation Course for graduate students of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at UNICAMP

In the second semester of 2020, from October to December, we offered, with a LID/HUB/OMS Project Resource, a Research Implementation course for graduate students of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at UNICAMP and we obtained 12 enrollments. The objective of the course was to introduce concepts about research implementation.

CEMICAMP through the HUB has played an important role in developing and supporting research.

Research support:

In 2020, we developed the analysis of data from a CLAP/PAHO student studying in North Carolina on abortion in Latin American countries.

Research development:

Under the coordination of Prof. Dr. Luis Bahamondes, the research project entitled “Assessment of sexual and reproductive health services for Venezuelans on the Venezuelan borders with Brazil – 2019”, demanded negotiations with UNHCR and authorities at various federal, state and municipal levels in Boa Vista and Pacaraima so that researchers could access shelters for Venezuelan refugees. A group of 5 researchers was sent for a week to collect data in the different shelters. The data has already been analyzed, one article has already been published and one is in the works to be submitted for publication.

Bahamondes L, Laporte M, Margatho D, de Amorim HSF, Brasil C, Charles CM, Becerra A, Hidalgo MM.Maternal health among Venezuelan women migrants at the border of Brazil. BMC Public Health. 2020 Nov 23;20(1):1771.

As a result of this study, two researchers, a psychologist and a social scientist, spent another week conducting focus groups with women from the shelters, focusing on women’s health in this vulnerable population in the state of Roraima. Two articles were written and submitted for publication:

1. Reproductive health among Venezuelan migrant women at the north western border of Brazil: A qualitative study. Journal of Migration and Health.
2. Perception regarding violence of Venezuelan migrant women sheltered at the northeast Brazilian border. Journal of Immigrants and Refugee Studies

Also, Master’s student Leila Rocha traveled in January 2021 to Roraima, and new interviews were carried out with refugee women to collect data for the research project. “Access to contraceptive methods and coverage among migrant women from Venezuela settled in Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil”. Together with doctoral student Rachel Soeiro, who interviewed adolescents to collect data for the research project entitled “Evaluation of sexual and reproductive health services for Venezuelan women on the border with Brazil”.

CEMICAMP has optimized all available resources of the HUB Project to improve and support the training of new researchers.