In 2021, the Public Health Emergencies Training Program (Profesp) was established with the objective of training professionals who work in the preparedness, surveillance and response to public health emergencies (PHE), at the three management levels of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). This initiative emerged to share and update concepts, methodologies and practices for strengthening and expanding surveillance, alert and response actions, in line with the National Policy Health Surveillance.

Profesp adapted the concept of permanent and continuing education to structure it to the demands of field epidemiology and health surveillance, which has the organization of health services as a determinant of PHE. With the Secretariat Health Surveillance (SVS) playing the role of activator, Profesp contributes to the training and qualification of human resources to support decision-making. Thus, the aim is to train professionals in their work context, using a contemporary methodology that allows decentralizing pedagogical activities and training on a large scale, ensuring the quality of content and of teaching and learning processes.

The specific objectives of the program are:

• share basic knowledge in public health emergencies;
• improve knowledge of the dynamics of ESP management, which includes rehabilitation, reconstruction, mitigation, prevention and response;
• develop contingency plans related to risks, mitigation and response;
• define practical methodologies according to response levels;
• establish intrasectoral and intersectoral coordination practices.