Professor Luiz Carlos Zeferino was appointed director of the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM) at Unicamp for the four-year period 2018-2022. He replaces professor Ivan Contrera Toro. The ceremony was presided over by rector Marcelo Knobel and held on Wednesday, 4th, in the main auditorium of FCM. Associate director Claudio Saddy Rodrigues Coy was also appointed, replacing Roberto Teixeira Mendes.
Zeferino won the FCM community consultation to choose the new director with 64,8% of valid votes. In his inauguration speech, he thanked him for the significant support and spoke about the challenges he must face in his administration. The professor highlighted the issue of healthcare financing.
According to the new director, another challenge is the fact that the Hospital de Clínicas da Unicamp, with 409 beds, is the main reference among hospitals in the macro-region of Campinas, with six million inhabitants. The professor compared the situation with the Ribeirão Preto HC, linked to the University of São Paulo (USP) which, with 900 beds, is a reference for four million inhabitants. “The Campinas macro-region would need at least one more reference hospital.”
At the same time, Zeferino stated that he was clear that any expansion in the health sector will depend on external resources and was emphatic on the issue of seeking the title of philanthropy for units linked to the health sector. The savings generated, with the tax exemption, would be around 30 million reais/year, according to the new director's calculations.
Dean Marcelo Knobel complemented the issue in his speech. He stated that the area's financing model is exhausted and that the moment of uncertainty in politics and the economy makes the search for alternatives even more difficult.
Saying goodbye to management, Ivan Toro was very grateful for the support of associate director Roberto Teixeira Mendes and all the coordinators of his management. He also highlighted a series of the team's achievements. He stated that today the medical course occupies the first position among the best medical schools in the country.
Regarding the financial situation, the professor said that he delivered FCM's cash balance with a positive balance and left it as a challenge for the next management to take care of the Campinas Health Area Foundation – FASCAMP.
During the ceremony there was a protest by striking Unicamp workers. They held up posters in front of the auditorium audience. The formal session was interrupted so that three employees could use the microphone. A list of demands specific to the health area was delivered to the sworn director of FCM.
