EDITORIAL

Dr. Anamaria Cavalcante is a pediatrician, graduated from the Federal University of Ceará (UFC), with residency in Rio de Janeiro, specialization in France, a master’s degree in Public Health (UFC), and a PhD in Pediatrics (USP). She has over five decades of experience in public health, standing out for her leadership in creating and coordinating programs aimed at reducing child mortality in Ceará, such as the "Viva Criança" program and the PESMIC study, which earned international recognition with the Maurice Pate Award from UNICEF.

She has held key positions including Director of the Albert Sabin Children’s Hospital (HIAS), Municipal Health Secretary of Fortaleza, and State Health Secretary of Ceará. She co-founded the Ceará School of Public Health and led initiatives such as implementing the Family Health Program in the state, decentralizing health services, and establishing Nutrition Centers and municipal hospitals. As superintendent of the Ceará School of Public Health, she also launched major educational programs such as the DINTER PhD with USP and a master’s program in partnership with Fiocruz.

In education, she has served as a faculty member at UNIFOR, UNICHRISTUS, and UECE, and led the creation of the Fortaleza School of Public Health, where she is the founding director. She served three terms as President of the Pediatric Society of Ceará and is currently the 2nd Vice-President of the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics. She is the author and editor of several books and technical manuals. Her career is marked by a strong commitment to public health leadership, education, and the advancement of child health.