Rio de Janeiro hosted the 2024 edition of the Pasteur Network Annual Meeting, between October 21 and 23. This year, the event was organized in partnership with Fiocruz and was also attended by representatives of Fiotec. The Pasteur Network is a global alliance that brings together more than 30 institutions with the aim of overcoming challenges through science, innovation and public health. Today, the network is present in 25 countries on five different continents, encouraging a dynamic community for the exchange of knowledge and experiences.
The meeting discussed, among other priority topics in health, the impact of climate change on infectious diseases such as dengue, as well as preparedness for possible epidemics and the latest innovations in diagnostics, equity in vaccination and access to health. This was the first edition of the event held in a country in the Americas.
The opening ceremony of the Annual Meeting brought together the Minister of Health of Brazil, Nísia Trindade; the president of Fiocruz, Mario Moreira; the president of the Pasteur Network and CEO of the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, Amadou Sall; the executive director of the Pasteur Network, Rebecca Grais; in addition to the vice president of the Pasteur Network and president of the Pasteur Institute, Yasmine Belkaid.
The three days of programming offered lectures led by representatives of the Pasteur Institute from different locations, as well as by professionals from Fiocruz and the Brazilian Ministry of Health.
According to Lara Dias, a Fiotec analyst present at the event, a series of panels discussed themes focused on knowledge and scientific advancement, opening space for a broad debate. "I have been working on projects funded by the Pasteur Institute for many years and it was amazing to have the chance to talk to professionals there, in addition to finally meeting partners in person with whom I only dealt by phone or video call", he celebrates.
The Pasteur Institute
It is a private, non-profit foundation with a mission to help prevent and combat infectious diseases through research, education, and public health initiatives. The Institute develops several grandiose projects in partnership with international scientific authorities, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as reference research institutions, such as Fundação Oswaldo Cruz [Oswaldo Cruz Foundation] (Fiocruz).
