Funding serves 155 priority municipalities in 17 states and reinforces vector surveillance and control
The Ministry of Health announced R$12 million to strengthen surveillance and control actions for Chagas disease in 17 Brazilian states. The agency declared that the resource strengthens the capacity for continuous action in 155 municipalities considered priority, supporting essential actions such as vector capture and monitoring, surveillance and rapid response to outbreaks.
The ministry said that Anápolis and Goiânia, in the State of Goiás, were recognized with a bronze seal of good practices for eliminating vertical transmission of Chagas disease. He also stated that the disease still represents an important challenge for public health, especially in areas with greater social vulnerability and the presence of vectors.
“We are directing resources based on technical criteria, which allows for greater effectiveness of actions and a direct impact on reducing transmission. Our commitment is to expand diagnosis, ensure timely treatment and consistently advance in eliminating the disease as a public health problem in Brazil”said the department’s Secretary of Health and Environmental Surveillance, Mariângela Simão.
SELECTION
According to the ministry, the selection of municipalities was based on technical criteria that consider the interaction of insect vectors with the environment and social vulnerability, with priority given to cities classified as very high risk in a composite index (presence of vectors and socio-environmental conditions) and locations with recent registration of the vector.
Municipalities with high priority and very high priority for the chronic form of Chagas disease were also considered, mainly concentrated in the Northeast and Southeast regions.
SEARCH
The organization announced, in partnership with Fiocruz (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz), phase 2 of the Selenium project as a treatment for chronic Chagas disease heart disease, which seeks to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the mineral as a complementary therapeutic strategy for patients with chronic Chagas heart disease. A total of R$8.6 million will be invested.
The federal government’s expectation is that the research will produce more robust and representative scientific evidence across different patient profiles.
“The results could support the evaluation of selenium-based technologies – a substance with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action – for cardiovascular protection, in addition to supporting their possible incorporation into the SUS [Sistema Único de Saúde]”assessed the ministry.
NUMBERS
The epidemiological scenario of Chagas disease in Brazil reinforces the urgency of measures to combat it. In 2024, 3,750 deaths were recorded, with the highest concentration in the Southeast. In the same period, there were 520 acute cases, mainly in the North, with emphasis on Pará.
In 2025, preliminary data indicate 627 acute cases (97% in the North) and 8,106 chronic cases, concentrated in Minas Gerais, Bahia and Goiás, demonstrating the persistence of the disease in endemic areas.
This text was originally published by , on April 15, 2026, at 10:37 am. The content is free for republication, the source is cited, and has been adapted to the standard of Poder360.
