Page 48 - GHES-2-2

Global Health Econ Sustain International scientific cooperation in public health

1.1. The Brazilian syphilis epidemic The infrastructure of the executing institution where the

Syphilis, an infection caused by Treponema pallidum initiative is to be developed is also supplemented, including
subspecies pallidum, can be transmitted sexually and the provision of equipment, bibliographic materials, and
congenitally and lead to fetal and neonatal death (Luo laboratory instruments. This enables capacity building
et al., 2021; WHO, 2021). The WHO’s Global Health through the input of knowledge – technology transfer,
Sector Strategy on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) experiences, practices, etc. (Caitano et al., 2022).
highlights the syphilis response as a global health priority, Since 2018, at the beginning of the project, LAIS/
essential to achieving Sustainable Development Goal UFRN, in collaboration with Brazil’s MoH MoH and
(SDG) 3, “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for international institutions, has developed partnerships
all at all ages.” (WHO, 2016). and international scientific cooperation. The agendas
Although it is an old public health problem, syphilis is have focused on: (i) contributing to the fulfillment of the
reemerging worldwide, affecting countries regardless of project’s objectives; (ii) comparing the actions developed
their level of human development index (HDI) (Luo et al., in Brazil with those of other recognized countries; and (iii)
2021; Moseley et al., 2024; Spiteri et al., 2019). Worldwide, allowing the dissemination and exchange of the Brazilian
there are an estimated one million cases of syphilis in experience and the actions that Brazil has developed in the
pregnancy (SIP) per year. areas studied, thus becoming more relevant in the global
and international health scenario.
In 2016, Brazilian federal control authorities requested
the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) to present a 2. Data and methods
strategic plan to control the epidemic after incidence rates 2.1. Study design
of syphilis escalated over the years. In January 2017, the
Annual Budget Law No. 13,414 approved the allocation of This is an action research study, as defined by Thiollent
200,000,000 Brazilian Reais (BRL) for rapid interventions (2022) and Tripp (2005), which consists of researchers’
to combat syphilis to be implemented by the MoH (Mareco effective action in solving problems, monitoring, and
et al., 2023; Pinto et al., 2022). The national strategy to evaluating the cooperation actions of the “Syphilis
combat the syphilis epidemic, known as the “Syphilis No!” No!” Project. In this regard, our research design was as
Project, has been implemented for a period of at least follows: (i) reorganization of indicators, (ii) validation of
4 years, starting in 2018. new indicators, (iii) construction of dimensions for the
indicators, (iv) data collection for the indicators, and (v)
1.2. The “Syphilis No!” Project development of a framework applicable to the project.

We explored international scientific cooperation in public 2.2. Rearrangement of indicators
health interventions under the “Syphilis No!” Project.
Since 2018, the project has been implemented by the This phase began in 2021. It has followed the development
Brazilian National Health System (SUS). The Laboratory of the project’s international actions under the initiative of
for Technological Innovation in Health (LAIS) at the the new leadership of LAIS/UFRN’s Institutional Relations
Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) has Office. This underpins the action research approach as a
implemented the project nationwide in partnership with method for monitoring and evaluating such cooperations
the MoH (Mareco et al., 2023; Pinto et al., 2022). The (Thiollent, 2022; Tripp, 2005).
project includes national and international technical Our study draws on Freitas’s (2021) research, which
cooperation actions to achieve its main objective of presented an initial proposal of indicators to measure the
reducing the incidence of syphilis in Brazil. performance of cooperation efforts that could be applied to
The “Syphilis No!” Project was structured around five the “Syphilis No!” Project. The panel of indicators was drawn
interrelated axes (Figure 1): (i) Education, (ii) surveillance, from the six perspectives of Kaplan and Norton’s Balanced
(iii) management and governance, (iv) comprehensive Scorecard (BSC) (Kaplan & Norton, 1997): Sustainability,
care, and (v) communication. Its driving forces are research Learning, Results, Processes, Stakeholders, and Resources.
activities and national and international cooperation Freitas’s (2021) panel of indicators was used to select
activities, which cover all five axes of the project. indicators suitable for measurement. In selecting the
Projects under this cooperative model allow for the indicators, we were guided by the purpose and objectives
implementation of research activities designed to ensure of the project, as well as the institutional objectives of the
the flow and creation of knowledge. This is done through UFRN’s Institutional Development Plan (PDI) 2020 –
specialized consulting, knowledge, and capacity building. 2029, in terms of its international positioning.

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2024) 3 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.3037