CRICS V - News

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The search for social equilibrium in health

The 5th Regional Congress on Health Sciences Information, which will take place April 25-27, 2001 in Havana, Cuba, does not intend to find the definitive answer to precarious health services, ignorance, injustice, and prejudice. All of these social and human issues are of the utmost importance in the daily work of health professionals worldwide. But here, in this long-awaited Congress, they will be discussed with particular reference to their current implications for the Latin American and Caribbean Region. The belief is that during the event, some answers, practical solutions, and new approaches will be identified. In this sense, CRICS V will have the privilege of welcoming over two dozen top international experts in the field of Health Sciences Information. The Congress will be a unique event in both its thematic and representative scope.
So come join this prime forum for health information professionals, enhancing your understanding of ways to achieve equity in Health and bringing your own contribution to the debates. If knowledge is a privilege, it deserves to be shared and enjoyed at such gratifying and dedicated events as this.
CRICS V is being promoted by the Latin American and Caribbean Center for Health Information Sciences (BIREME), together with PAHO/WHO and the National Center for Information in Medical Sciences (CNICM), linked to the Cuban Ministry of Public Health.

Knowledge in the Internet Age

Internet and other technologies have spawned unprecedented opportunities in access to information. To explore these possibilities and achieve equitable access to knowledge demands constant decisions. During the plenary on training in health skills on April 27, beginning at 9:00 AM, Alejandro R. Jadad, current director of the Program in e-Health Innovation at the University of Toronto in Canada, will bring his long-awaited contribution to this and other related themes on the CRICS V in Havana.
With a PhD in the specific area of knowledge synthesis, Jadad is constantly involved with academic and private sectors for managing health-related knowledge through Internet applications. As a member of various organizations, including HEALNet in Canada, his international influence is famous in projects using information technologies for the public, particularly based on his membership in the Consumer Health Informatics Working Group of the American and International Medical Informatics Associations.

Medical Libraries and the Public

MEDLINE-plus is a service developed by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) to promote overall public access to electronic information in health. This field emerged thanks to the large number of generic consultations of the Library's main data base available on the web, MEDLINE, which is specifically dedicated to use by health professionals. This programmed expansion of its user public proved both explosive and gratifying, with the possibility of supplying shared access to organizations previously distinct from the specific health field and that of promoting information for the public at large. Issues pertaining to this and related experiences will be part of the sixth CRICS V panel: Information Technologies and Knowledge Management, on Friday, April 27, 2001, beginning at 2:00 PM. The event will include expert panelist Becky Lyon, Associate Director of Operations at the U.S. Library of Medicine. She will be present specifically to go into detail on relations between health experts and the public at large, as fostered by the Internet. Check for more details on the page with the Congress program.

http://www.bireme.br/crics5/I/programa.htm

Questions and Tips about Cuba

What kind of clothing should I pack for Cuba? Which credit cards are accepted? And how can I rent a car on the island? These and other frequent (or perhaps not-so-frequent) questions can be answered easily through the Cocoweb site, part of the official Cuban tourist board.
An interesting service is the possibility of sending an e-mail with a specific question. The answer may not come back immediately, but the webmasters usually respond within a week. The service is so efficient and complete that it gets down to really specific questions. Just a couple of examples from recent weeks include which beaches allow nude bathing or where the gay night clubs are located in Havana.
Even if it's just out of curiosity, it's worth it to visit the pages, which give an interesting local overview. These webpages also include traditional information on Cuban history, culture, art, tourism, and places to visit.

http://www.dtcuba.com/esp/cocoweb/
e-mail: cocoweb@dtcuba.com

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