You indigenous peoples of the Yanomami territory, located in state of Roraima, are facing a health and humanitarian crisis.
The region has more than 30 thousand inhabitants and is the largest indigenous reservation of Brazil.
The health crisis has already caused the death of 570 Yanomami children in recent years because of malnutrition and other preventable causes.
In 2022 alone, 11,530 cases of malaria in this region.
According to the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples, 99 deaths of children from one to four years, last year, due to malnutrition, pneumonia and diarrhea, in the vast majority of cases.
The secretary of Indigenous Health, Weibe Tapeba, said in a press conference just now that an interministerial strategic plan must guide the actions of the federal government to ensure the recovery of the health of the population.
According to Tapeba, the estimate indicates that more than a thousand indigenous people have been rescued in the last few days in a serious health situation.
Read too: the indigenous peoples of Brazil
Health crisis in the Yanomami territory
Since January 16, professionals from the Ministry of Health have been in the Yanomami indigenous territory. The intention is to carry out a diagnosis of the health and humanitarian crisis that affects the region, as well as to restore access to health for this population.
On Friday (20), the Ministry of Health decreed Public Health Emergency of National Importance. The measure aims to strengthen the fight against lack of health care for indigenous peoples living in this region.
On Saturday (21), the president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visited Roraima together with the Minister of Indigenous Peoples, Sonia Guajajara, and of Health, Nísia Trindade.
Credit: Reproduction / Twitter
Yesterday (23), twelve professionals from the National Force Unified Health System (SUS) landed in Good view (RR). They will provide services at the Casa de Saúde Indígenas (Casai) and at the field hospital that will be set up by the Brazilian Army.
The Ministry's mission started on the 16th should last until tomorrow (25). The team that visited the site must present a complete survey of the health situation of the Yanomami population.
Among the portfolio's actions is the Public Health Emergency Operations Center (COE - Yanomami), which is under the responsibility of the Indigenous Health Secretariat. Basic baskets, inputs and medicines are being sent to the region.
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Yanomami indigenous peoples
The Yanomami indigenous peoples inhabit the northern region of Amazon rainforest, in the state of Roraima and amazon. The indigenous villages are located along the border between Brazil and Venezuela.
The territory's population includes the Yanomami, Yanõmami, Sanima and Ninam peoples, who make up a linguistic group.
The Yanomami territory has about 9.6 million hectares, the largest indigenous land in the country.
Over time, these indigenous people suffer from the action of miners, loggers and farmers, responsible for environmental and social impacts in indigenous territory.
Know more:how the demarcation of indigenous lands works in Brazil
Learn more about the challenges faced by indigenous peoples in the video lesson below:
image credit
[1] Marcelo Camargo | Brazil Agency
By Lucas Afonso
Journalist
