The Brazilian Ministry of Health, in partnership with the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), has launched a public call to expand epidemiology training within the Unified Health System (SUS). The CNPq/MS Call No. 33/2025 will fund the first cohorts of the Basic Course in Epidemiology for Health Surveillance, VigiEPI, with roughly 12,000 places available across all regions of Brazil.
VigiEPI training to strengthen local epidemiology
The initiative aims to support implementation of the National Health Surveillance Policy and to modernise the long-standing basic epidemiology course. The original Basic Course in Epidemiological Surveillance was first issued in 1983 and last updated in 2005. VigiEPI renews that legacy by introducing contemporary approaches and responding to current public-health challenges.
Authorities have set an overall investment of R$11.7 million for the initiative. Proposals responding to the call must address four compulsory axes: a situational analysis of health surveillance services and existing epidemiology training in the territory; implementation of the VigiEPI-based training strategy; evaluation of the VigiEPI training; and translation and dissemination of epidemiological knowledge.
Course content was developed in collaboration with the University of Brasília (UnB) and validated through workshops with academic specialists and SUS health surveillance professionals. Learning materials are organised into three booklets and are available free of charge on the Ministry of Health website, enabling wide access for trainers and trainees across Brazil.
The Ministry says the VigiEPI training is designed to improve local capacity to analyse health situations, take data-driven decisions and direct interventions more precisely within territories. By strengthening epidemiological skills among SUS workers, the programme seeks to accelerate timely responses to health risks and to enhance routine surveillance practices.
Mariângela Simão, Secretary for Health and Environmental Surveillance, described the programme as a strategic step in qualifying the SUS. She said that strengthening training in epidemiology will expand the ability of health workers to analyse data, anticipate risks and respond more effectively to public-health challenges.
Organisations seeking funding must submit proposals by 31 March 2026. The call is intended for institutions and groups that can implement training at territorial level and deliver the four required components, including robust monitoring and dissemination plans to ensure lessons and materials reach local teams.
Officials emphasise that VigiEPI is not only a training exercise but a means to improve day-to-day surveillance operations. By combining updated curricula, validated learning resources and a nationwide implementation plan, the Ministry hopes to embed stronger epidemiological practice into SUS services and to support better-informed public-health decision-making across Brazil.
Source: Ministry of Health, Brazil.
Key Takeaways:
- Brazil’s Ministry of Health and CNPq open public call to fund VigiEPI training and strengthen epidemiology in the SUS.
- The programme offers about 12,000 places, backed by R$11.7 million and material produced with the University of Brasília.
- Projects must cover four mandatory axes including situation analysis, implementation, evaluation and knowledge dissemination.
- Deadline for proposals is 31 March 2026; course materials are freely available on the Ministry of Health website.
