A partnership between UNAI member institution Unesulbahia College, the Vida Mais Association, and the Municipality of Porto Seguro in the state of Bahia, Brazil, is delivering specialized health services to the district of Trancoso, aligning higher education initiatives with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advancing community well-being.
The Vida Mais Trancoso Association was established in 2021 with the aim of creating opportunities for children and young people in situations of economic vulnerability, enabling them to transform their realities through access to education and health services.
Located in the Maria Viúva neighbourhood of Trancoso, a district of Porto Seguro in the state of Bahia, the association operates in a territory facing significant challenges in accessing medical specialties and quality healthcare services.
With this focus on community well-being, Vida Mais Trancoso and Faculdade Unesulbahia supported the “More Health for You” Project, an initiative of the Porto Seguro City Hall and the Municipal Health Department, which delivered healthcare services across several districts of the municipality, including Trancoso.
Over three days of joint action, Vida Mais Trancoso and Unesulbahia College collaborated closely in this important partnership.
The project sought to advance Unesulbahia’s university extension activities through active participation in the initiative, with three main objectives:
Community Support: To contribute directly to improving access to quality healthcare services for the population of Trancoso, Bahia.
Professional Training: To provide students with high-value, real-world practical experience by integrating theory with clinical and community practice, while fostering social responsibility and humanized care.
Institutional Commitment: To reinforce Unesulbahia’s role as a socially engaged higher education institution committed to the integral development and well-being of the local community.
Healthcare professionals contributed directly by expanding access to consultations and health guidance. Students actively participated in welcoming patients, completing medical records, measuring heart rates, conducting rapid tests, and accompanying doctors during consultations — a practical experience of significant formative value.
The initiative delivered approximately 1,700 consultations across multiple specialties, including Cardiology, Endocrinology, Dermatology, Urology, Orthopaedics, Gastroenterology, Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, Psychiatry, Ultrasound, Surgery, Rheumatology, and Family and Community Medicine.
This joint action reinforces Unesulbahia College’s commitment to community development in alignment with the SDGs, demonstrating how strategic partnerships can generate positive and lasting impact.
The benefits were twofold:
For the Community: The initiative significantly improved access and equity in healthcare services, helping to overcome geographical barriers that have historically limited care in the districts of Porto Seguro, Bahia.
For Unesulbahia: The action provided students with immersive opportunities to apply classroom learning in real-world settings — an essential component of professional formation.
In addition, the initiative strengthened the connection between Unesulbahia and the local community. By bringing its faculty, students, brand, and values directly into service delivery, the institution reinforced its visibility and social role, demonstrating an active engagement in the well-being and development of the region.
Learn more about the Unesulbahia College.