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A n a i s d o I HM T
Mozambique
An overview of chronic diseases in Mozambique has
been presented. Some recent or ongoing research
on exposure to tobacco smoke and other indoor and
outdoor air pollution, pulmonary sequelae of tu-
berculosis, the relation of HIV infection and chron-
ic respiratory diseases, as well as the challenges in
these areas were also presented.
A National Strategic Plan for Prevention and Control
of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) has been in
place since 2008, and clinical guidelines for adult bron-
chial asthma and COPD have been developed in 2013.
Angola
The epidemiological situation of tuberculosis in the
country was presented, where there is a National
Tuberculosis Control Program which is part of the
Health Development Plan.
Also presented were data on acute respiratory infec-
tions, a recent study that characterizes asthma and
allergic diseases in children and young people, as
well as an overview of the health services coverage
of the country.
Cape Verde
Regarding the risk factors for respiratory diseases,
GARD research results and more recent research on
exposure to tobacco, domestic and workplace pollu-
tion, as well as atmospheric were presented.
Progress in fight against smoking, including legisla-
tion, has been addressed. It was also mentioned that
aging and poverty are additional risk factors to the
previous ones for the development of these diseases.
A characterization of the respiratory diseases asth-
ma, rhinitis, chronic bronchitis and emphysema was
made. There is ongoing work in development of
norms of guidelines in the area of asthma.
Brazil
The epidemiology of respiratory diseases was contextu-
alized on an aging population, predicting the increase of
chronic diseases and comorbidity. Data on asthma and
COPD were presented as well as the medical resources
made available by SUS (Sistema Único de Saúde, public
network of health care providers). Smoking was also
characterized in its consequences (namely lung cancer)
and the adopted strategies of control were presented.
Tuberculosis
and other mycobacteriosis
The epidemiological situation of tuberculosis in
Portugal and Brazil, of the health information sys-
tems associated to this disease and the organization
of health care provided to patients with TB was pre-
sented.
Information on non-tuberculosis mycobacteriosis,
that is increasingly identified, has been reported. It
was discussed the need for greater cooperation to
establish risk standards for these infections, to define
patterns of antibiotic susceptibility, clinical evolu-
tion and performance guidelines.
GARD in the future
A presentation was made of the “IPCRG -
International Primary Care Respiratory Group”
whose mission is “to improve public health by con-
ducting, funding and organizing research on care,
treatment and prevention of respiratory diseases,
diseases and problems in the community and to pro-
vide the research results for the benefit of the public
and health professionals “at the primary health care
level.
The burden of disease from respiratory diseases and
the burden of their treatment is not sufficiently well-
known and there is a need for targeted research at
local level.
There is a need for training for and between peers,
and in particular for health professionals, training in
research. Ongoing research projects were also pre-
sented.
A presentation was given on the GARD Projects for
2017 and 2018.
The WHO’s “Global action plan for the prevention
and control of non-communicable diseases 2013-
2020”, the global situation regarding this Plan and
the instruments on asthma and COPD contained in
the publication “Implementation tools: package of
essential non communicable (PEN) disease inter-
ventions for primary healthcare in low-resource set-
tings” were referred (both documents were sent to
participants prior to the meeting).
In relation to this meeting the following suggestions
for discussion were left:
“Creation of Lusophone GARD - collaboration be-
tween Lusophone countries and creation of a GARD
website in Portuguese; Development of a train-
ing module in Portuguese for asthma and COPD;
Technical assistance between interested countries;
to establish an epidemiological module to obtain re-
liable data on asthma and COPD “