Ministry completes 2 years of health restructuring actions in indigenous land with a reduction in deaths from malaria and 100% operation of health centers
The Ministry of Health completes 2 years of health restructuring actions in the Yanomami land, the largest indigenous reserve in Brazil. In January 2023, a COE (Emergency Operation Center) was mobilized in the territory given the scenario of abandonment left by the previous administration that culminated in the spread of illegal mining and the history of reports of violence against indigenous peoples, in addition to records of high rates of malnutrition.
“The restructuring of health in the Yanomami territory is a milestone in our commitment to the dignity and rights of indigenous peoples. We face an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, the result of years of lack of assistance and neglect. Today, after 2 years of hard and integrated work, we have managed to reestablish essential services, guarantee food security and drastically reduce deaths from malnutrition, malaria and respiratory infections”highlights the Minister of Health, Nísia Trindade.
Since the installation of the COE and through structuring measures, there has been a significant 68% reduction in deaths due to malnutrition in the 1st half of 2024 compared to the same period of the previous year. The number of deaths from malaria also decreased by 25% compared to 2023.
The number of health professionals in the territory grew by 155%, from 690 to 1,759 in 2024. The teams include doctors, nurses, dentists and nutritionists, as well as indigenous agents trained in health and sanitation.
The close involvement of the Ministry of Health also resulted in the expansion of nutritional surveillance coverage for children under 5 years of age, with the intensification of the active search for patients and the expansion of access to services. There was an increase in the number of children classified as having nutritional deficit from 49.2% to 51%.
Another important fact: 3,300 children were monitored in the 1st quarter of 2024 – an increase compared to 2,700 in the same period of 2023. There was also the implementation of CRN (Nutritional Rehabilitation Centers) in Surucucu, Auaris and Casai Yanomami, with the introduction of therapeutic formulas F75 and F100 for treating severe malnutrition.
Diagnostics
With the expansion of access to timely diagnosis and treatment, there was a 73% increase in the number of malaria exams in the 1st half of 2024, compared to the same period of the previous year. As a result, there was also an increase in reported cases, which went from 14,400 in the 1st half of 2023 to 18,300 in the first 6 months of 2024. However, with the expansion of assistance, lethality fell by 35%.
These efforts contributed to a significant reduction in deaths from respiratory infections (-53%) and malaria (-35%), in addition to the expansion of immunization, with 58% more doses applied in the 1st half of 2024.
Health Strengthening
Since the beginning of 2023, 7 basic health centers have been reopened, serving 5,200 previously unassisted indigenous people. Currently, 100% of the 37 base centers are fully operational, with the construction of 6 new UBSI (Basic Indigenous Health Units), bringing the total to 40 units in the territory.
In addition, 6 new UBSI were built. As a result, the territory now has 40 UBSIs, totaling 77 health establishments in operation.
In partnership with organizations such as Cufa (Central Única das Favelas) and the German Target Reudiger Nehbergconstruction of the Reference Center in Surucucu began, which will benefit 10,000 indigenous people in 60 communities. A rear hospital unit is also under construction in Boa Vista, with 75 beds exclusively for indigenous people.
Casai (Indigenous Health Support House), in Boa Vista, is being restructured to improve the reception and assistance conditions for indigenous people undergoing health treatment at the unit. The cafeteria and lactation have already been renovated, providing a better environment and serving more than 2,000 meals per day.
Basic sanitation also advanced with the implementation of 29 new water supply systems and the maintenance or reactivation of another 43. 1,500 infrastructure actions were carried out, such as improvements at Casai in Boa Vista, which received R$44.8 million in investments .
Another highlight is the partnership between Sesai (Indigenous Health Secretariat) of the Ministry of Health and AgSUS (Brazilian SUS Management Support Agency), which resulted in the opening of a regional office in Boa Vista in September 2024. The office was created to strengthen the execution of health policies in the Yanomami territory and in other areas of indigenous health care. The structure is aimed at providing operational and strategic support to Sesai’s actions, focusing on:
- recruitment, selection and training of health professionals to work in regions that are difficult to access and have care gaps;
- support for the implementation of assistance and management technologies that qualify care for the indigenous population;
- monitoring and evaluation of health actions carried out in the Yanomami territory, through data on the provision and performance of hired professionals.
Telehealth
Telehealth also received assistance with the installation of 35 IT structures, such as T3SAT antennas and cases (24 installed in 2023) and 98 internet points in Roraima and Amazonas. In total, 106 computers were sent to the Yanomami DSEI (Indigenous Health District), allowing remote access to experts.
These actions strengthen the health care and basic sanitation infrastructure in indigenous villages, promoting significant improvements in the quality of life of the Yanomami population.
Actions in numbers:
- 100% of the 37 Base Health Centers in operation;
- 58% increase in vaccination doses applied in the 1st half of 2024 compared to the same period of the previous year;
- 155% more health professionals compared to the beginning of 2023 (there were 690);
- 68% drop in deaths due to malnutrition;
- 6 new Basic Health Units built;
- 40 UBSI in operation;
- 29 water supply systems implemented;
- 43 other systems reactivated or carried out maintenance;
- 53% drop in the number of deaths from respiratory infections in the 1st half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023;
- 7 deactivated health centers were reopened. 5.2 thousand indigenous people served;
- 1,759 doctors, nurses, dental surgeons and nutritionists working;
- 27% drop in the number of deaths in the 1st half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023;
- 35% drop in deaths from malaria.
With information from .
