Brazil has made commitments seeking to improve the health of women and children. In an epidemiological context, neonatal mortality remains as the main type of child mortality and has strong variations between regions of the country and between services. Fernandes Figueira Institute (IFF/Fiocruz) has served as a reference center for tertiary neonatal care through the Brazilian Network Coordinating Center of Neonatal Research (BNRN).

Furthermore, IFF houses the Collaborating Center of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) for Child Blindness Prevention since 2012. In 2014, IFF started the project "Support Actions to implement good practices in priority neonatal units of the Brazilian Unified Health System by providing interactive distance education, matrix support and performance analysis", supported by Fiotec.

The project aims to disseminate neonatal good practices focused on practical bedside aspects through a course of interactive distance learning. For over five years, neonatal nursing teams were qualified through the course "Primary health care of the newborn at risk: overcoming critical points" developed by the Collaborating Centre of PAHO/IFF.

Interactive distance learning

Through a partnership with the Telemedicine course at the University of São Paulo (USP), all contents were reviewed and updated and new videos demonstrating practicalities were recorded. All these materials have been adapted to the interactive education and for different platforms: personal computers, tablets and mobile phones. It is estimated that 500 professionals are trained according the project scope.

In addition to the course, the project aims to support the actions of RBPN, such as its regular meetings and database, considering that the network should continue to act as a reference in contributing to improving the national neonatal care. There will be a seminar for project completion, with trained professionals.