Access to clear, accurate medical information can make the difference between life and death—especially in newborn care. We are proud to have collaborated with the Newborn Toolkit (NEST 360 e London school Of Hygiene And Tropical Medicine) in the launch of a Portuguese-translated Newborn Technical Terms Glossary, developed in collaboration with the African Neonatal Association, – represented by Dr. Sonia Bandeira, to support healthcare workers, educators, and policymakers across Lusophone Africa.
In many Portuguese-speaking African countries, healthcare professionals face a critical challenge: limited access to standardised, localised clinical terminology. Much of the most up-to-date newborn health guidance is published in English, creating barriers for practitioners working in Portuguese-dominant settings.
“African newborns face similar threats in different contexts: reducing the language barrier for Portuguese-speaking healthcare workers and implementers will help not only to ‘speak the same language’ across the continent, but also to learn each day how to achieve the essential care for mothers and newborns, both in hub centers and in “the last mile”, as it is intrinsic in CUAMM’s mission.” said Dr Marco Frison CUAMM Paediatrician and project manager in Beira, Mozambique.
Developing tools that facilitate access to current and high-quality information can improve training pathways, the development of guidelines, international exchange, and ultimately the quality of care.
The glossary is intended as a first step in addressing this gap. It consists of approximately 600 key neonatal care terms translated from English into Portuguese, plus contextual definitions aligned with global health standards and improved clarity for training, communication, and clinical decision-making.
