RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Prosecutor in the northern Brazilian state of Roraima stated that if basic health care is reinforced, the dangerous situation can be reversed within 90 days.
The official indicated that the appointment of managers capable of restructuring Yanomami health or the Ministry of Health’s supervising and executing role are potential ways to direct the people’s health and social policy, as the lack of basic care is clear.
“In less than two years, over R$150 million (US$27 million) were invested in Yanomami health and what we have seen is the worsening of health indicators: infant mortality, malnutrition, malaria,” the Prosecutor pointed out.
Senator Randolfe Rodrigues, from Roraima,, also advocates the causes of the indigenous peoples and recently accused the government of President Jair Bolsonaro of being responsible for these communities’ adverse situation.
He said he would denounce it to the Federal Supreme Court to make it comply with its duty towards the indigenous populations, particularly the Yanomami people, as well as before the international courts for the crime of genocide.
The complaint came after a team of reporters from the Globo Network TV show Fantástico visited the interior of the Yanomami Land, the largest native reserve in Brazil, and found sick, malnourished children with no medical care.
These peoples’ social and health vulnerability is exacerbated by the constant invasions of Yanomami lands for mining and other illegal environmental activities. In addition, the natives live in geographically isolated communities of difficult access and suffer from a lack of health care, making it virtually impossible to control epidemics.