Newsletter 907: Secretariat of Indigenous Health remains a promise
The Brazilian government declared on March 24, on the occasion of the signing of the Provisional Measure no. 483, that it was creating the Secretariat of Indigenous Health. The information was widely reported as if the referred to Secretariat was being constituted, effectively, in that act. In practice however, that is not what occurred. The communications office of the Ministry of Health issued a memorandum with clarifications regarding the news releases about the creation of the “Secretariat of Indigenous Health”.
According to the memo, “Provisional Measure no. 483, published in the Diário Oficial da União (DOU) on Thursday, March 25, alters Law no. 10.683, of May 28, 2003, which addresses the organization of the Presidency of the Republic and the Ministries. The Provisional Measure authorizes the creation of a new secretariat in the ambit of the Ministry of Health, creating new charges for it’s structuring. This authorization would empower the government to create the Secretariat of Indigenous Health, directly linked to the State Minister of Health…”
Contrary to what had been announced, the Secretariat in question has not yet been constituted. Furthermore, the referred to Provisional Measure makes no direct mention of a Secretariat of Indigenous Health, it only authorizes the creation of one more secretariat in the ambit of the Ministry of Health. The promise is that this new secretariat will be that of Indigenous Health, and would be created by means of decree, which would define its competencies, its organizational structure and decentralized execution by means of the Special Indigenous Sanitation Districts (DSEI), among other matters.
Still according to the memo, “at present, the Ministry of Health works on the details of these matters and the prevision is that the decree be published within 90 days. During this period the Funasa will continue to be responsible for carrying out of the actions in attention to health of the indigenous peoples…”.
It is further observed that the alteration of Law no. 10.683, of 28 May of 2003, which addresses the organization of the Presidency of the Republic and of the Ministries, grants by means of the Provisional Measure, a uni-personal act of the president of the republic, which will need to be discussed and approved by the National Congress within 60 days. This deadline can be extended one single time for an additional 60 days. As we know, voting on a Provisional Measure, the Congress, in theory, can reject it.
Therefore, there is still a long path to be traveled to secure effectuation of a Secretariat of Indigenous Health in Brazil. It is of fundamental importance that the indigenous peoples and their allies remain vigilant in order for the promised decree to be effectively published, also that the government assure, together with its “base of support” in the National Congress, the approval and enactment into law of the Provisional Measure that makes possible, legally, the referred to decree.
The issue of health care is very dear to the indigenous peoples in the country. The Secretariat of Indigenous Health linked directly to the Ministry of Health is a longstanding demand of the indigenous movement. In announcing the creation of the referred to Secretariat without that effectively having been done, the Brazilian government caused great confusion and, has once again misled the indigenous peoples in Brazil. In practice, all continues as before, that is, in the realm of promises. How long must the indigenous peoples wait?
Indigenous Missionary Council
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