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Data: 26 - Janeiro - 2006
Titulo: BRAZIL. Health crisis among the Yanomami
Fonte: Survival International - http://www.survival-international.org

Memories of past epidemics, when 20 % of their population died in 1987-1993 as malaria swept through their land, are coming back to haunt the Yanomami.

According to Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, president of the Yanomami organisation Hutukara 'there is a huge amount of confusion in the Yanomami health district,' which is run by the government's national health foundation FUNASA. He said recently that, 'We Yanomami are very worried indeed because the xawara (contagious diseases) in our forest will not go away. We don't all want to die again because of the xawara. Thinking about this makes us very worried and sad. The FUNASA people do not want to send money for the Yanomami as they should do. They only spend money in the city. They do not help us to buy medicines. For this reason, some of our children have died. In our land there is no medicine and so the dangerous xawara are increasing in our homes.'

According to CCPY - the Pro-Yanomami Commission - a non-governmental organisation working with the Yanomami, the number of cases of malaria among the Yanomami increased dramatically by almost 164% in 2005, as the authorities failed to provide adequate medical services to the Yanomami. At least three Yanomami have died from malaria recently.

After a meeting with health officials and Yanomami representatives earlier this month Davi concluded that 'Funasa is not improving... We Yanomami think that in spite of the money [being spent] there have been no improvements in our communities. Malaria has come back with force.' He holds government officials responsible for the deteriorating situation 'I don't believe in words any more, because we Yanomami are watching closely. There are a few people who want to improve things but, the politicians in Roraima state [where many Yanomami live] and the politicians in Brasilia won't let them work - there are some who forbid them from helping. They are not doing good things in the Yanomami's forest.' A delegation of Yanomami will travel to Brasilia to lobby the government. Read more about the Yanomami's protest in December.