Lactation Newsmakers: Documenting our History - Supporting Breastfeeding Exchange Relations by Building Equitable and Innovative Solutions: An Interview With João Aprigio Guerra de Almeida

Professor Joao Aprigio Guerra de Almeida graduated in Food Engineering (UFV-1981) with a Master in Microbiology (UFV-1986) and a doctorate in Women's and Children's Health (Fiocruz/IFF, 1998) He is founder and coordinator of the Brazilian Human Milk Banks Network (Ministry of Health-Brasil/Oswaldo Cruz Foundation-Fiocruz, 1987 to 2024); Head of the National Reference Center for Human Milk Banks at the National Institute of Women, Children and Adolescent Health Fernandes Figueira-IFF (Fiocruz/IFF, 1987 to 2024); Executive Secretary of the Ibero-American Human Milk Banks Network Program (Ibero-American General Secretariat-SEGIB/Brazilian Cooperation Agency-ABC/MS-FIOCRUZ, 2008 to 2020); Coordinator of International Technical Cooperation in Human Milk Banks ABC/Fiocruz/MS (2005 to 2024); and Coordinator of the Human Milk Banks Network of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries - CPLP (2017 to 2024). He has been recognized with the Sasakawa Health Prize (World Health Organization [WHO], 2001); as Officer of the Order of Rio Branco (Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, 2001); with Global Health Challenges and Responses of the South in Time of Crisis (WHO, 2009); as Commendator of the Order of Rio Branco-Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil (2018); and Dr LEE Jong-wook Memorial Prize for Public Health (WHO, 2020). His areas of activity include Public Health, breastfeeding, Human Milk Banks, Public Management, and International Technical Cooperation.