Meeting held in Macapá (Amapá) on June 14 and 15 involved indigenous leaders and representatives of institutions from Brazil and Suriname.
During the second day (June 15) of the “On-site Meeting of Actors: Protection of the Health of Indigenous Peoples on a Brazil-Suriname Territorial Base”, indigenous leaders and representatives of the institutions present reviewed the sensitive points listed the previous day and defined priority focuses to be addressed. be proposed in a Contingency Plan to be implemented along the border between Brazil and Suriname, where the indigenous peoples of both countries coexist in a permanent flow of comings and goings with different purposes.
Representatives of the following institutions and programs participated in the meeting: Association of Tiriyó, Katxuyana and Txikiyana Indigenous Peoples (APITIKATXI), Association of Waiana and Apalai Indigenous Peoples (APIWA), Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Amapá and Northern Pará (APOIANP), Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (COIAB), Public Defender’s Office of the State of Amapá (DPE-AP), Special Indigenous Health District (DSEI), National Indian Foundation (Funai), Federal Public Ministry (MPF), Special Nucleus for Indigenous Health from the State Health Department of Amapá (NESI/SESA), National Immunization Plan (PNI), Special Department of Indigenous Health (SESAI), Basic Indigenous Health Unit (UBS-I), Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (OTCA) and Iepe.
Among these defined priorities, the indigenous leaders present expressed an interest in holding binational face-to-face meetings, involving representatives of the same peoples who live on both sides of this border, in order to discuss the dangers of false news (fake news) widespread in Suriname. , and which cause great rejection of vaccination in that country. As a result, they witnessed in their villages in Brazil, during visits by relatives from Suriname, little concern in responding to requests to follow the same care protocols adopted locally. In this sense, the leaders highlighted the importance of the wide adoption of protocols to combat the spread of Covid-19, on both sides of the border, through binational meetings.
There was also the discussion and elaboration of a joint work proposal to be developed with ACTO/GIZ in cooperation with the participating institutions. An online meeting was held between all those present with Cristian Guerrero and Guilherme Macedo, from GIZ, who presented the Biomaz initiative (OTCA/GIZ), focused, in particular, on the Immunization Campaign component, financed by the German Ministry of Cooperation (BMZ) . In view of what was presented, there was a dialogue about the possibility of partner institutions gathered in this joint to present proposals for the implementation of activities to increase vaccination coverage in this part of the Amazon Region. Proposals include local cross-border meetings, training of indigenous health agents, awareness campaigns on the importance of vaccination, support for infrastructure of equipment for vaccine conservation and for the promotion of communication between communities.
