AMERICA/BRAZIL – Still victims because of the mismanagement of health care of indigenous peoples

Maranhão (Agenzia Fides) - The lack of actions and programs to provide good health care to indigenous people and farmers on behalf of the Brazilian government continues to produce victims. On 11 May, the indigenous Ajrua Awa-Guajá, a 40-year-old mother of five children, who lived in the Awa village, in the indigenous Land Caru, in northwest Maranhão (Brazil), died of Calazar (visceral leishmaniasis). Cases like this could easily be avoided if there were more seriousness and professionalism in the health care field.
The complaint sent to Fides by the Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI), of the region of Maranhão, released a statement in which it said it was "saddened by this new death, and reaffirms its commitment to the right of the people to a specific and differentiated service, which includes, among other things, a multidisciplinary team to directly assist the population." (CE) (Agenzia Fides 16/05/2013)