Sharing the best practices and information on caution, surveillance, research and eradication of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. This is the main goal of the SIG Confronting Aedes aegypti and Vector-borne diseases, recently founded by the Telemedicine University Network (RUTE). This initiative coordinated by the Brazilian National Research and Educational Network supports, implements and promotes telemedicine projects and has 57 Special Interest Groups (SIGs) with several specialties and subspecialties.

According to RUTE's technical coordinator, Thiago Lima, the ideia to create this SIG arose as soon as the issue came to light in the country, in the second semester of 2015. "Our team began to realize the increasing need to have a group to address this issue in the network. When our national coordinator (Luiz Ary Messina) started to gather potentially interested parties within the Ministry of Health, the Secretariat of Labor and Education Management for Health was already arranging the creation of the SIG. In that vein, the coordinator of the Brazilian Telehealth Networks Program, Thaís Matos, jointly with Tiago Bahia Fontana, proceeded to face the challenge, so we went ahead with the project", said Lima.

The group is focused on discussing acute events related to Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya, as well as the consequences of congenital infections caused by Zika, such as microcephaly and other malformations, encouraging health surveillance, in addition to technical, educational and scientific development. "Our goal is to mobilize professionals and managers in the Unified Health System (SUS), the university community and teaching hospitals throughout the country to qualify our response to the public emergency situation we are facing", said the SIG Coordinator, Thaís Matos.

The monthly meetings feature an initial presentation on a predetermined subject, followed by a reflection on the theme, in order to stress important points and raise questions of interest on the matter, or brought by the audience. The meetings are open to the participation of researchers, undergraduate, residency and specialization students, teachers, health professionals, among others, all able to interact through questions, remarks and any contribution.

The first session, held last May, addressed the topic "Guidelines for specialized care of children with microcephaly", and was attended by 46 people, from ten different States. "There was a presentation on the inter-ministerial action composed by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Development and Fight against Hunger, called Rapid Action Strategy for Strengthening Attention to Health and Social Protection of Children with Microcephaly. The initiative reinforces the role of States and municipalities in identifying and handling suspected and confirmed cases of microcephaly associated to the Zika virus infection”, said Matos. Finally, the preliminary results of this action, and its impact on the number of cleared cases, were also presented.

The role of RUTE on uniting technology and health care

Rute encourages the interaction and collaboration among health professionals. By means of the SIGs, we promote debates, case discussions, distance learning (ODL) and long-distance diagnosis. Most of this interaction and integrated actions occurs through the video collaboration platform. The main benefit provided by a collaborative work, based on a technology platform, is overcoming distances. Learn more about the network by visiting http://rute.rnp.br/.

Services

Confronting Aedes aegypti and Vector-borne diseases

Meetings: Third Friday of each month.

Time: 02:30 PM.

Web conferencing: http://webconf2.rnp.br/rutesigenfrentamentoaoaedes

Open group: Participation by voluntary attendance of all interested parties, managed by the SIG coordinator. 

Attendee Profile: Undergraduate, residency, specialization, Master’s or Doctoral students; researchers; teachers and any professional engaged in health care, engineering, technology, health IT and telehealth, as well as SUS managers.