INSP and National Council of Science and Technology (Conacyt) sign a General Agreement of Collaboration

The National Council of Science and Technology (Conacyt) and the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) through their respective directors, Dr. María Elena Álvarez-Buylla Roces and Dr. Eduardo Lazcano Ponce, have executed a General Agreement of Collaboration, with the main objective of strengthening research and teaching in public health with a comprehensive community approach and in harmony with the sociocultural context of Mexico.

The signing of the agreement took place at the Conacyt headquarters. In the presence of Minister of Health Dr. Jorge Alcocer Varela and Covid Czar Dr. Hugo López-Gatell Ramírez, who is Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion, Dr. Álvarez-Buylla and Dr. Lazcano penned the agreement that will strengthen the initiatives of the National Strategic Health Program (Pronaces-Salud), will promote the implementation of new research enterprises and strengthen technological development and innovation.

In a speech, Dr. Eduardo Lazcano acknowledged the presence of the highest authorities of the health sector at the signing of the agreement shows institutional support and obligates the INSP to strengthen its organizational structure to become the academic arm of the Ministry of Health.

He outlined that this agreement influences, strengthens and promotes a higher priority for social and community relevance in teaching and research actions. Additionally, he assured that community research in public health should focus on environmental, social, and structural inequities and specific health needs, through the active participation of community members in collaboration with academic groups, including graduate students.

Doctors Jorge Alcocer Varela and Hugo López-Gatell Ramírez agreed on the importance that this accord will have for the health of the Mexican population.

Alcocer Varela emphasized that public health should incorporate into its research topics such as mental health, gender inequality, social determinants in cancer, as well as environmental pollution and issues that affect low-income populations.

López-Gatell Ramírez reaffirmed the importance of working through the lens of science and research to further a cause with a social mission. He raised the opportunity to promote public interest in the transformation process, in order to generate public health policies for the good of all.

Dr. Álvarez-Bullya Roces, meanwhile, reassured that the agreement signed with the INSP is a step in the consolidation of a common agenda, which will contribute to the strengthening of public research with a comprehensive approach in favor of communities and focused on prevention of priority problems of Mexicans.

The agreement aims to strengthen public health research supportive of social welfare based on 4 complementary actions:

1) Promote new models of training and research in the public health area;

2) Promote joint institutional enterprises to compliment, consolidate and strengthen priority initiatives of Pronaces – Health;

3) Encourage the implementation of new joint research and advocacy initiatives;

4) Promote the strengthening of technological development and innovation within the framework of the pentaelix model (government, society, academy, environmental and industry).

Through this agreement, the National Institute of Public Health reaffirms its commitment to the populace with the certainty that public health research is a driving force to ensure development, pertinence and relevance of the health system in Mexico.