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Evaldo Melo

Evaldo Melo was one of the great encouragers of Sociedade Brasileira de Patologia Clínica/Medicina Laboratorial (Brazilian Society of Clinical Pathology/Laboratory Medicine) and one of its most active heads. As president of the institution, from 1975 to 1977 and from 1993 to 1995, he provided great incentive to SBPC/ML and to laboratory medicine.

In his first mandate as president Evaldo Melo structured and created the Programa de Excelência para Laboratórios Médicos (Program of Excellence to Medical Laboratories – Pelm), now called Proficiência em Ensaios Laboratoriais (Proficiency in Laboratory Assays).

Introduced in the 11^o Congresso Brasileiro de Patologia Clínica (11^th Brazilian Congress of Clinical Pathology), that was held in October 1977, in Guarujá (SP), that program immediately received the adherence of 90 clinical pathologists and laboratories.

In March 1975, the Revista Brasileira de Patologia Clínica ( Brazilian Journal of Clinical Pathology), edited by SBPC/ML, published several articles on quality control and laboratory certification, written in co-operation by Evaldo Melo, Marilene Melo and Erlo Roth. It was the first Brazilian review on the subject. Such articles described the procedures of the American College of Pathology, of the United States, and those of other sources, adapting them to the conditions of Brazilian laboratories.

In the following year SBPC/ML published its first handbook – Fundamentos sobre Ensaios Radioisotópicos in Vitro (Basis for Radioisotopic in Vitro Assays)–, of which Evaldo Melo was the main author. That publication was approved by the directory to help clinical pathologists obtain a license from Comissão Nacional de Energia Nuclear (National Commission on Nuclear Energy) to handle radioimmunoassay tests.

Evaldo Melo also stood out as a representative of SBPC/ML in international institutions. In 1976 he was elected the first president of Associação Latino-Americana de Patologia Clínica (Latin-American Association of Clinical Pathology – Alapac), founded during the 2^o Congresso Latino-Americano de Patologia Clínica (2^nd Latin-American Congress of Clinical Pathology), that took place in Lima, Peru.

It was still in Evaldo Melo’s first administration that SBPC/ML acquired its first headquarters in Rio de Janeiro: a house in the neighborhood of Rio Comprido. In 1995, again as president, he decisively contributed for the society’s moving to the neighborhood of Flamengo, where it is still located.

Among other accomplishments of this clinical pathology doctor is the presidency, in 1999, of the 33^o Congresso Brasileiro de Patologia Clínica/Medicina Laboratorial (33^rd Brazilian Congress of Clinical Pathology/Laboratory Medicine), of the 20^o Congresso Mundial (20th World Congress) and of the 4^o Congresso do Mercosul (4^th Mercosul Congress), in São Paulo.

On the opening ceremony of the 36^o Congresso Brasileiro de Patologia Clínica/Medicina Laboratorial (36^th Brazilian Congress of Clinical Pathology/Laboratory Medicine), that happened last year, in São Paulo, Evaldo Melo received a well-earned homage for having rendered good services to SBPC/ML and to laboratory medicine.

Evaldo de Melo died in São Paulo on September 5, 2003, when he was 69 years old.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  17 July 2004
• Date of issue
  2003