Notícias
Training of Angolans in Brazilian hospitals advances cooperation in health
On April 29th, more than 150 students and preceptors participated in the inaugural class of the Brazil-Angola Health Workers Training Program, in an online meeting that marked the beginning of the training of the class of 2025. The initiative is coordinated by the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil (MRE), in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education of Brazil, and the Brazilian Hospital Services Company (EBSERH). 
During the event, the objectives, the structure of the program, and the annual work plan were presented. Participants also attended a master class on the public health systems of Brazil and Angola, and discussed challenges and opportunities for cooperation involving the two countries.
Ambassador Luiza Lopes da Silva, Deputy Director of ABC, represented the agency during the meeting. Her presence reaffirmed Brazil's commitment to structuring cooperation for the strengthening of national capacities.
The representative of the Ministry of Health of Angola, Mr. Djamel Kitumba, emphasized the country's effort to expand the training of professionals, with a focus on the delivery of quality of education. "Today, about 300 Angolans graduate in Brazil; we are very grateful for this partnership," he said.
The president of EBSERH, Mr. Arthur Chioro, highlighted the transformative role of this exchange: "This possibility of sharing knowledge goes beyond techniques. It is a process that develops capacities and also ourselves," he said.
On behalf of the students, Mr. Fernando Mateus Sito, an Angolan, shared his experience as a resident in clinical cardiology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Maranhao (HU-UFMA), where he is part of the first class of the program, started in 2024. "I see that there is a huge benefit in terms of knowledge and experience; the preceptors are inclusive and convey the information in a concise and objective way. We want to give something in return to this opportunity by contributing to the development of health in Angola," he said.
In 2024 and 2025 alone, for instance, HU-UFMA has already received 43 Angolan students. Another 25 hospitals within the EBSERH Network and 15 educational institutions affiliated with the Ministry of Health participate in the program, in areas such as cardiology, gynecology, pediatrics, infectious diseases, and other specialties.
HU-UFMA teaching and research manager, Ms. Rita da Graca Correa, highlighted the impact of these students' presence at the institution. "This coexistence has stimulated more active listening, celebrated cultural diversity, and given teaching-learning processes a new meaning, with a view to strengthening public health systems through international cooperation," she said.
It is also worth mentioning that renowned educational institutions participate in the Program, such as the University of Sao Paulo (USP), the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), which reaffirms Brazil's firm commitment to delivering training of excellence to Angolan professionals, and significantly expands the offer of face-to-face courses in 2025.
Structuring cooperation to strengthen health systems
The Brazil-Angola Health Workers Training Program was officially launched in April 2024, and aims to contribute towards strengthening the Angolan public health system by training professionals at Brazilian institutions. This initiative provides training in the modalities of residency (fellowship), master's degree, doctorate, specializations, refresher courses, and distance learning.
