At the official opening of the regional meeting of Latin America and Caribbean of AACHI, Association of Academic Health Center International, held on the Congregation Room of FMUSP, on august 9th, the lecturers highlighted the importance of the interchange on the medical area, aiming the strengthening of health policies at the Southern Cone. With the theme “Research in the Academic Health Center, and the role of Latin America: perspectives and participation in health policies”, this is the first time the meeting is being held in Brazil.

The director of FMUSP, Professor Jose Otavio Cota Auler Jr., highlighted the responsibility of the institutions involved in the promotion and commitment of the academic community, bearing in mind the contributions to the development of regional research. The following professors have participated at the opening table: Professors Nicholas Fisk, Deputy Vice Chancellor of research from the University of New South Wales; Martín Hernandez, Vice President for Academic & Research from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education of Mexico; and Claudio Brando, Director of Education from the University Hospital San Inacio in Colombia.

Prof. Eduardo Krieger, Executive Director of the International Relations Committee of FMUSP, has participated as mediator and Prof. Fernando Aith, from the Department of Preventive Medicine, has presented an overview of the Unified Health System (SUS).

The Brazilian health system and the diversity of access were some of the themes approached by professor Margareth de Castro, director of the Medical School of the Ribeirão Preto Campus and by professor Carlos Magno Castelo Branco, from the Paulista Estate University “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” campus Botucatu.

The Dean of the University of Antioquia, of Colombia, professor Carlos Alberto Palacio Acosta, highlighted the lack of a policy of health on the governmental agenda of Colombia, the deficiencies of intersectional cooperation and the low investments in research and development, something around 0.2% of the country’s PIB.

Amongst the debated themes, professor Michael Wilkes, of UC Danis Health, Prof. Joaquim Vieira, of FMUSP, Prof. Eliana Goldfarb, of the Medical School of UNESP and Prof. Manuel Perez Jimenez, Technologist of Monterrey have debated the theme “Medical Education: Engaging Medical Students in Research”, in one of the panels.

“Innovation in health and social assistance” was presented by Dr. Gilberte Bastien, of t5he Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. Anna Miethke Morais, from the Clínicas Hospital, Prof. Mark Govers, from the Maastricht University, and Dr. Ivan Solarte, from the University Hospital San Inacio. The mediation was made by Dr. Claudio Brando, from the University Hospital San Inacio, of Colombia.

On the third panel of the afternoon, the theme was “Research and its contribution for the process of improvement of health care providence”. The lecturers were Prof. Jennifer L. Larsen, of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Prof. Carlos Gomez, director of the Medical School of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Nicholas Fisk, of the University of New South Wales, and Prof. Geraldo Busatto, executive director of the Medical Investigation Laboratories of FMUSP. The mediation was from the part of Prof. Luiz Fernando Onuchic, president of the Research Commission of FMUSP.

The Regional Meeting for Latin America and the Caribbean of AACH has counted on the presentation of the Chamber Orchestra from the Center of Research in Performance Sciences of FFLCH from the Ribeirão Preto campus of USP.