Brazil indigenous protest against measures Health Ministry measures

Dozens of indigenous from 19 municipalities in Amazonas states and indigenous health professionals staged a demonstration Wednesday (Oct. 26) in Manaus against the recent measures of the Health Ministry on the budgetary and financial autonomy of the Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health Care (SESAI), and the Special Indigenous Sanitary Districts (DSEIS).

They marched some 6km before reaching the headquarters of the Health ministry in the city, blocking major thoroughfares and interrupting traffic for a few minutes. Their bodies and faces were painted as a symbol of fight, as they held posters and traditional weapons, like spears, bows, and arrows. The demonstrators occupied the building and announced they would only leave the premises after the government revokes the measures they regard as harmful.

The first regulation, dated October 17, deprived the two indigenous agencies of their autonomy. Under protest, Minister Ricardo Barros enacted a new measure Tuesday (Oct. 25) he describes as a plan aimed at establishing a new flow and administrative model for the sector, correcting inaccuracies which cause resources to be squandered. For the indigenous, however, it was not enough. They demand the return of the autonomy to manage patients' assistance. Weldys Azevedo, who works at the Support House for Indigenous Health Care (Casai-Manaus), states that the new action should prove detrimental to local services. “We'll have to call Brasília and wait. In the House, we can lodge up to 200 patients. While 20 are leaving, 30 new ones are coming.” In his view, changing the way the flow is administered may have negative effects on patients.

Indigenous chief Silvino Carvalho, of the Mura nation, left the municipality of Careiro Castanho to back the demonstration. “We're here demanding our rights, because health care is difficult as it is, and what's at stake will get in the way of everything. It'll kill the ones who are already dying,” he said.

The demonstrators said they would only leave the building after the authorities revoke the new rule and bring back the full autonomy of SESAI and DSEIS.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira