ABMM (Brazilian Medical Women’s Association)
The São Paulo Medical Association (APM) hosts the ABMM office in their downtown building. Additionally, it provides secretariat support and rooms for hybrid board meetings, using the online zoom platform. The website is http://www.abmmnacional.com.
The main activities of ABMM are described below:
- First our gratitude to Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi MWIA President and Dr. Mariam Jashi MWIA General Secretary 2022-2025 for the superb work they are doing on the MWIA Directory and maintaining all the countries together and including on the Gender Medicine Special Interest Group (SIG) our national leader Dr. Marilene Melo.
- Gratitude to Dr. Clarissa Fabre for accepting our late MWIA Latin America update in September 2022.
- ABMM – Bimonthly virtual business meetings led by Dr Elizabeth R. G. Alexandre, current ABMM National President and Dr Ana Regina C. Vlainich, ABMM Sao Paulo sectional region current president.
- Medical Academy of São Paulo (Academia de Medicina de São Paulo), Brazil – on December 13 2022 an official ceremony was held for new members, ABMM leaders Dr. Magda M. S. Carneiro Sampaio, previously MWIA VP LA and Dr Sonia Maria Rolim Rosa Lima. Please see Fig 1.
- Nadir Eunice Valverde Barbato de Prates, ABMM member, received the Medal of Honor at the Piauiense Society of Medical History on December 13, 2022, at State of Piaui, Brazil (neprates@greennet.net ).
- Chanh Yen-Li Chaim, was elected president of ABMM Paraná State ABMM regional section on November 2022 (changylchain@gmail.com).
- ABMM held a special celebration as a tribute to Prof. Dr. Terezinha Verrastro Almeida. She lived for 92 years and was the first women to achieve a PhD in hematology at USP (Universidade de São Paulo) where she became the Hematology department coordinator. Dr Verrastro was previously honored by ABMM in 2013 on Women’s Day. On November 30, 2022, a special event was held at the APM (São Paulo Association of Medicine), in her honor. Two eminent Medical Women professors were also honored: Dr. Marise Dohlnikoff and Dr. Elnara Marcia Nigri for their scientific contribution. They studied the pathological evidence of pulmonary thrombotic phenomena in severe Covid-19. Together they enabled a better understanding, investigation and early treatment of this thrombotic phenomen and saved many lives during the pandemic. Please see Fig. 2 with some members of the ABMM and friends.
- Irene Abramovich, the current president of the São Paulo Council of Medicine (CREMESP 2021-23) received several honors in late 2022, for her representative work at the most important institution for the regulation of medical practice in the State of São Paulo.
- Natasha Slhessarenko, from ABMM is a member of the Federal Council of Medicine (3-year term). This is the most important institution for the control of medical practice in Brazil.
- Dr Nelci Zanon Collange was re-elected as a Chair of the Education Committee at the International Society of Pediatric Neurosurgery (ISPN) in Singapore, December 2022. The main Education platform is a monthly virtual webinar for medical students and young doctors in Pediatric Neurosurgery under the auspices of ISPN and WFNS (World Federation of Neurological Societies). It is planned to increase the in-person courses in 2023. The webinar topics and the ISPN Pediatric Neurosurgery Guide are available on the website: https://www.ispneurosurgery.org.
- PAMWA (Pan-American Medical Women’s Alliance)
- President elect PAMWA, Dr Veronica Clara Rodriguez Torres (rodrigueztorresvc@gmail.com) is taking up the leadership of this traditional Medical Women’s Alliance.
- A Business meeting between MWIA LA and PAMWA was held virtually. The final decision was to have a close association between PAMWA and MWIA and to promote a quarterly meeting to organize the 2023 and 2024 Latin American Meetings
- The next online meeting between MWIA LA and PAMWA is planned for January 13, at 22h Brazilian time and 19h Mexican time. The Agenda includes a decision about the PAMWIA 2023 presential meeting in Puebla, Mexico, led by Dr Veronica Clara Rodriguez Torres. Date options are May or August 2023.

Fig.1: Sao Paulo, Academy of Medicine: actual members Dr Nelci Zanon Collange (first on the left) and Dr Marilene Melo (second from the right) with new members Dr Magda M. S. Carneiro Sampaio (second from the left) and Dr. Sonia Maria Rolim Rosa Lima (far right) – all Directors of ABMM (Brazilian Association of Women in Medicine). Official ceremony held December 13 2022 at São Paulo Medical Association (APM), Brazil.

Fig. 2: A special event at the APM (São Paulo Association of Medicine): special celebration as a tribute to Prof. Dr Terezinha Verrastro Almeida. Two eminent medical women professors were honored: Dr Marise Dohlnikoff and Dr Elnara Marcia Nigri for their scientific contribution studying the pathological evidence of pulmonary thrombotic phenomena in severe Covid-19. ABMM members and directors (Brazilian Association of Women in Medicine), December 13, 2022 at São Paulo, Brazil
The report submitted by Dr. Nelci Zanon Collange
MWIA Regional Vice President for Latin America