The Community Health Center (Cecom) at Unicamp celebrated, this Wednesday (15), four decades of care and support in a ceremony marked by tributes to the team, recognition of previous administrations and celebration of a trajectory that has consolidated itself as a reference in health care within the University, recalled in an institutional video at the opening.
The rector of Unicamp, Paulo Cesar Montagner, highlighted the unique role of Cecom in the university structure and the pioneering nature of the service, created in 1986. For the rector, the center represents one of the most important hallmarks of the University: “Celebrating these 40 years is, above all, celebrating a very important aspect that Unicamp needs to preserve, which is the care for people,” he stated.
Montagner emphasized that Cecom goes beyond simply supporting healthcare, and its relevance is linked to its ability to continuously and humanely sustain the necessary conditions for the university community to teach, research, learn, and create. "Cecom reminds us daily that a great institution is not measured solely by its results, but by how it cares for those who build it."
The rector also recalled his own experience as a user of the service and highlighted the trust built by the center over time. “Students speak fondly of Cecom. That has immense value. Health, at its core, is about trust. We need to believe in what we are being advised to do.”
The general coordinator of Unicamp, Fernando Coelho, emphasized the strategic role of Cecom and its relevance both for the daily service of the community and for broader institutional actions. Coelho recalled experiences of partnership with the body at different times during his time in management, including projects related to laboratory safety and outreach activities carried out off-campus. “Cecom is a very particular structure of the University, a benchmark among public institutions. What has always impressed me is the dedication, care, and professionalism in the service, without distinction of who needs assistance,” he stated.
The current coordinator of Cecom, dental surgeon Rogério Terra do Espírito Santo, highlighted that the 40th anniversary celebration represents, above all, a moment of collective recognition. “It is with great joy and a profound sense of belonging that I participate in this celebration, which invites us not only to celebrate our achievements, but also to reflect on our journey. Each employee, in their work, has helped build a solid trajectory, marked by commitment, technical competence, and dedication,” he said. The Cecom division coordinator, Luciane da Silva Antunes, a nurse at Unicamp for 25 years, 14 of them at the center, reinforced the collective nature of the work offered. “It is truly special and very meaningful to be here. Cecom is, above all, a place of care, coexistence, and many journeys, where our work touches and transforms people's lives,” she stated.
Representing the Executive Board of the Health Area (Deas), Professor Maurício Etchebehere highlighted the role of Cecom during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the body took a leading role in vaccination strategies and in supporting the university community. "The pandemic made it even more evident how important it is to have Cecom at the University," he stated.
A place in history.
The ceremony was marked by tributes to former coordinators who led Cecom over these four decades, such as nurse Rôse Clélia Grion Trevisane, who headed the center between 2021 and 2025; physician Patrícia Asfora Falabella Leme, coordinator from 2014 to 2021; and professors Roberto Teixeira Mendes, pediatrician, in the position between 2009 and 2013, and Edison Bueno, public health physician, between 2000 and 2009.
In their speeches, the former managers highlighted the center's evolution and the team's decisive role in consolidating the organization as a national benchmark. Trevisane, who followed Cecom's trajectory since its creation, emphasized the symbolism of the celebration. "I saw Cecom born and grow. If the center is a national benchmark today, it is due to institutional support and, especially, to the dedication of each professional," he stated.
Leme also mentioned the center's work during the Covid-19 pandemic. “The most emotional moment of my life at Cecom was when the vaccine truck arrived. That represented hope amidst the pandemic,” he said. Mendes highlighted the technical capacity and welcoming atmosphere built up over the decades. “Of all the places I worked at the University, Cecom was the most capable and had the best results in the area of care.”
Bueno emphasized the role of the institution in guaranteeing health as a right and in consolidating a policy of comprehensive and humanized care for the university community. "Cecom truly embodies the universality we desire."
Dermatologist Tereza Cristina Gansauskas Panetta and nursing technician Elizabete Bernadete Oliveira, who have worked at Cecom since 1986, were also honored.
The story of Cecom's creation was recounted through a video message from physician René Mendes, the organization's visionary and first coordinator. Invited at the time by then-rector José Aristodemo Pinotti to develop the center's proposal, Mendes defined the project as "pioneering, innovative, and grand from its conception" and highlighted the enduring relevance of its original concept. "Today I see that it is robust, vibrant, and even more active," he stated.
At the close of the ceremony, the Cecom team emphasized that the 40th-anniversary celebration is not limited to institutional memory, but also projects the future of the organization. The final message was marked by recognition of the teams, users, and institutional partners, reaffirming the center's commitment to promoting the health and quality of life of the university community. "These 40 years have been built by many hands. We continue to care for those who make Unicamp what it is," concluded the current coordinator.
At the closing ceremony, the Zíper na Boca Choir gave a performance.
A benchmark in comprehensive care.
When it was created in 1986, Cecom had 85 professionals. Today, there are 162 active employees working in the areas of medicine, nursing, dentistry, physiotherapy, nutrition, social work, physical education, and other specialties in healthcare services, procedures, and health promotion and prevention actions. Last year, more than 89 consultations, 44 procedures, and 43 health promotion and prevention actions were recorded, numbers that reinforce one of the organization's historical characteristics: comprehensive care.
Cecom's trajectory began even before its formal creation, when, in April 1985, an ordinance established the Social Services Coordination (CSS), with the objective of ensuring the integrated execution of programs and activities to assist Unicamp employees. A year later, the creation of the center was formalized, whose mission was to plan and execute health programs aimed at the university community, including teaching and non-teaching staff, as well as students.
In its early years, care was concentrated in the medical, dental, physiotherapy, and nursing areas, but over time, the center gradually incorporated other services. The model initially focused on biomedical and curative care was expanded to a perspective geared towards health promotion and disease prevention, with collective actions and integrated work of multidisciplinary and multiprofessional teams. Currently, the center is subordinate to the Executive Directorate of the Health Area (DEAS).
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