Ministry starts diagnosis on Yanomami health

The Ministry of Health team in charge of drawing up a diagnosis on the health situation of the indigenous people living in the Yanomami territory is already in Roraima. In a note, the folder informed that the expectation is that, after the survey, “immediate actions to overcome the health crisis” that the local population is going through will be defined.

“In recent years, the Yanomami population has experienced lack of assistance and difficulty in accessing health care. Cases of malnutrition and food insecurity, mainly among the more than 5,000 children in the region, have been recorded”, highlights the ministry.

According to the folder, there are also reports from health professionals about “lack of security and vulnerability” to continue the care, especially medical assistance to indigenous people.

The situation has also been denounced by the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR). In April last year, the organization handed the then Minister of Health, Marcelo Queiroga, a letter signed by indigenous leaders that described a “war scenario” in the region, with the death of children for the most diverse reasons. The leaders also denounced the diversion of funds that would be destined to indigenous health.

“We denounce, in particular, the absolute collapse of the indigenous health of the Yanomami and Yekawana peoples who live in a war scenario, with the death of children from malnutrition and malaria, the lack of assistance for the removal and rescue of indigenous people”, says the letter when reporting, also , “lack of coordination between federal entities for the proper care and protection of indigenous health, and the diversion of funds destined for Yanomami indigenous health”.

First step

According to the current Ministry of Health team, the mission sent to the Yanomami territory, where more than 30,400 inhabitants live, is the “first step” of a new strategy by the federal government to, in partnership with civil society, restore the access to quality healthcare for this population.

“The technicians will analyze the health situation in the region, the services provided and available inputs, to map the demands and health needs of the population. With this data, the Ministry of Health will prepare a complete diagnosis of the indigenous territory and define immediate actions that need to be taken to overcome the health crisis and strengthen the care offered by the Special Indigenous Health District for the Yanomami”, informed the ministry.

Also according to the folder, two technical teams are in the region. One of them is in Boa Vista, working with the Yanomami Special Indigenous Health District (Dsei), the Indigenous Health House (Casai), the Roraima State Health Secretariat and the Boa Vista Municipal Health Secretariat.

“The other, called the field team, will travel between the base poles of Surucucu and Xitei. Access to these regions is difficult and, in part, only happens through partnership with the Ministry of Defense,” he added.