Lula goes to Roraima to bring support to the Yanomami indigenous people in a situation of malnutrition

The Ministry of Health declared a public health emergency regarding the lack of health care for the populations in the Yanomami territory, in Boa Vista (RR) this Friday (20th), and since Monday (16th), at least eight Yanomami children have been rescued in serious condition. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) arrives this Saturday morning (21) in Boa Vista (RR) to monitor the work of the Ministries of Indigenous Peoples and Health in the indigenous land.

Lula also decreed the creation of the National Coordination Committee, to discuss and adopt joint measures between the powers to provide assistance to this population. The president’s visit to Roraima is also an old wish of indigenous leaders who participated in the technical groups of the PT’s transition cabinet.

In a social network, the petista commented on the trip to Roraima. “Good Morning. I arrive in Boa Vista this morning and will visit the indigenous hospital and the Indigenous Health Support House, where I will talk to health professionals and the Yanomami people. We will join efforts to guarantee life and overcome this crisis”, declared the president.

The assessment made by the Members is that the sanitary situation in the territory is heading towards a “humanitarian crisis” – due to the increase in cases of malnutrition in children and the advance of illegal mining in the region.

“We received information about the absurd situation of malnutrition of Yanomami children in Roraima. […] I will travel to the state to offer the support of the federal government and, together with our ministers, we will act to guarantee the lives of Yanomami children”, wrote Lula, in a social network, on Friday (20).

Lula will be accompanied by ministers Wellington Dias (Social Development), Nísia Trindade (Health), Sônia Guajajara (Indigenous Peoples), Flávio Dino (Justice), José Múcio (Defense), Silvio Almeida (Human Rights), Márcio Macêdo (General Secretariat ), General Gonçalves Dias (Institutional Security Office), and the commander of the Air Force, Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno. The governor of Roraima, Antonio Denarium (PP), and the Secretary of Indigenous Health of the Ministry of Health, Weibe Tapeba, should also participate in the delegation.

The president should arrive at the Boa Vista Air Base at 9:30 am. At 11:30 am, he will announce emergency actions for the Yanomami population. Data from the Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health (Sesai), obtained through the Access to Information Law (LAI), show that, still in 2021, 56.5% of children monitored by the government in the Yanomami territory presented with acute malnutrition – when weight is considered low or very low for age.

Advance of illegal mining

The territory, which is the largest indigenous reserve in the country, has registered, in the last four years, advances in illegal mining and alerts of deaths due to lack of health care and malnutrition. In 2022, the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) even recommended that Health intervene in one of the local health districts.

According to the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM), at least 56% of the total population of the Indigenous Land is affected by the advance of devastation and undue exposure of isolated indigenous peoples.

The Ministry of Health estimates that around 570 children of the Yanomami people were killed by mercury contamination, malnutrition and hunger, due to the impact of illegal mining activities in the region.

data blackout

Although the government has released an estimate of the number of deaths, Weibe Tapeba said that Sesai does not have a survey of “reliable information”.

The new secretariat team has already started a new survey to provide “an answer to the Brazilian people” and provide President Lula with information on the necessary actions in the area. “The case is one of a humanitarian, health and insecurity crisis,” said Tapeba.

Tapeba and the president of the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai), Joênia Wapichana, classified the region as one of the priorities of Lula’s new government. In a recent interview with Rede Amazônia, Joênia stated that, during the transition, it became clear that it will take a “very large task force” to recover the security of the place.

At the beginning of the week, Funai and the Ministry of Health began a mission in the Yanomami territory. The team must prepare a diagnosis of the territory, which is home to more than 30,000 indigenous people. The report must map the health needs of the indigenous population.

In order to continue the work, Weibe Tapeba must remain in Yanomami territory to outline and define immediate actions.

*With information from G1

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