The 6th National Conference on Indigenous Health (CNSI) took place from November 14 to 18, 2022, in Brasília, promoted by the National Health Council (CNS) and the Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health Care (SESAI). BIREME participated in the event through the PAHO/WHO Brazil booth, where it made presentations to promote products and services related to Indigenous Health.
On the last day of the event, two thousand indigenous participants from the CNSI were present during the update of the National Health Care Policy for Indigenous Peoples (Pnaspi). The final report has 258 proposals and 64 approved motions and should be published by the end of December this year.
At the PAHO/WHO booth at the event, the BIREME team demonstrated the Windows of Knowledge and other products and services developed within the scope of the Indigenous Health VHL project, as well as a presentation on the Regional VHL portal and dissemination of institutional videos on Sexually Transmitted Infections (Portuguese) and Alcoholism in Indigenous Communities (Portuguese).
In addition to group presentations, demonstrations were also carried out in an individual format for health professionals and delegates who attended the booth, with the Windows of Knowledge as a highlight.
The event was a great opportunity to get closer to health professionals who work in indigenous villages in different regions of Brazil, using the customer survey approach to collect the main information needs of the target public for the Indigenous Health VHL project, which is under development. It was also possible to identify priority health issues in these regions and villages.
During the interviews, it was possible to confirm that the theme ‘alcoholism’ is very recurrent in most of the villages, which validates the Window of Knowledge that was developed and will help to prospect possible solutions that can be developed and applied in the Indigenous Health VHL.
Other topics of interest include:
- Munduruku, Pará: Alcoholism, malaria and suicide
- Porto Velho: Malaria, Sanitation – Water supply system
- Cuiabá: Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Tocantins: Alcoholism and diarrhea
- Maranhão: Diarrhea, diabetes, high blood pressure, skin and kidney diseases
- Amazon: Women’s sexual and reproductive health
- Alagoas: Health Promotion, teenage pregnancy
- Goiás: Alcoholism, mental health
- Roraima: Violence against women, mental health, elderly health, alcoholism, and suicide
- Paraíba: Alcoholism, smoking, garbage
Indigenous and non-indigenous health professionals, during the interview, reported their interest in developing experience reports, a way of recording the actions and practices that are carried out in the villages, and expressed interest in supporting the translation of content into the language according to represented ethnicities. According to them, there is a lot of content that needs to be translated for greater dissemination and reach.
Other activities were also carried out at the booth, such as conversation circles, dissemination of printed material, presentation of the PAHO-IRIS database and the VHL Regional Portal. Socorro Gross, PAHO/WHO Representative in Brazil, who participated in the opening session of the Conference, and Ariel Karolinski, Coordinator of the Family, Gender, and Course of Life Unit at PAHO/WHO in Brazil, visited the Organization’s booth, as well as the Special Secretary for Indigenous Health (SESAI), Reginaldo Ramos Machado, who was informed about the Indigenous Health VHL project being developed by BIREME/PAHO/WHO.
Links of Interest (in Portuguese)
Window of Knowledge: Sexually Transmitted Infections
Window of Knowledge: Alcoholism in Indigenous Communities
Related news (in Portuguese)
Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde. Representação no Brasil. OPAS destaca importância da construção coletiva e da participação social durante Conferência de Saúde Indígena no Brasil. https://www.paho.org/pt/noticias/18-11-2022-opas-destaca-importancia-da-construcao-coletiva-e-da-participacao-social
Conselho Nacional de Saúde. 6ª CNSI: “Nós temos lado, o da população indígena”, afirma presidente do CNS. https://conselho.saude.gov.br/ultimas-noticias-cns/2715-6-cnsi-nos-temos-lado-o-da-populacao-indigena-afirma-presidente-do-cns