CIIPEC presents achievements

in its ten years of existence

Guatemala City, August, 2019

Within the framework of the celebration of INCAP's 70th Anniversary, and as part of the scientific meetings held each month at the Institute, the INCAP Research Center for the Prevention of Chronic Diseases (CIIPEC) presented this Monday its main achievements since its creation on August 9, 2009.

CIIPEC coordinator Dr. Manuel Ramírez Zea, reported on the projects worked on at the Center, of which 28 have been approved by donors, 9 that are active and 3 new that will be working. Some of these are: The multilevel intervention model to improve cardiovascular health in schoolchildren in urban areas of Guatemala; Measurement of the food environment in Guatemala and Costa Rica; Program for the implementation of a multicomponent intervention to improve the control of hypertension in Central America; From farm to school: multicomponent intervention to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables; among others.

Ramírez Zea highlighted that the Longitudinal Study of the East of Guatemala will be 50 years old, whose study is led by Dr. Paul Melgar. "Next month the book will be launched that for the first time summarizes the more than 300 scientific publications that have emerged from this study, with the participation of more than 12 authors."

Likewise, Dina Roche from the CIIPEC team presented the results of the virtual trainings, within which courses and diplomas have been carried out, training more than 500 health professionals, in addition to the face-to-face workshops held in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Chiapas, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Argentina and El Salvador; and short epidemiology summer courses at the School of Public Health of the University of Michigan, USA in 2013 and 2014.

Carlos Mendoza Montano, recalled and highlighted the work of Dr. Ana Victoria Román, who provided her efforts in strengthening the institutional capacities of the sector and the academic sector that work in the prevention and control of chronic diseases related to nutrition.

Montano highlighted the support provided by CIIPEC to the Technical Commission for Chronic Diseases and Cancer (CTCC), with representation from the Ministries of Health and the Institutes of Social Security of the SICA countries, established in 2010.

Among the achievements of CTCC is the validation of the Nutritional Warning Front Labeling, where the color and position of the packaging were evaluated, an activity led by INCAP, in June 2018. Thus, as well as the Regional Strategy for the Reduction of Salt / Sodium Consumption, approved by the Council of Ministers of Health of Central America (COMISCA) in December of the same year.

Regarding the network of Research Institutions for Chronic Diseases (RIIEC), it was reported that it has collaborated with the creation of 14 agreements with institutions in Central America, Chiapas, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, to strengthen the training of human resources and research of prevention.

To conclude the meeting, Fernanda Kroker, a CIIPEC researcher, presented the challenges and areas of opportunity that the Center faces from this new stage of life.

After concluding the meeting, the director of INCAP, Carolina Siu Bermúdez congratulated the CIIPEC team, and all those who have contributed throughout the 10 years of the Center.