Brazil's Indians Sick, Hungry
9/17/99
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Title: Brazil's Indians sick, hungry - missionary
Source: Reuters
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: September 17, 1999
BRASILIA - Brazil's Indians live in deplorable health conditions and
60 percent of the indigenous population suffers from some kind of
illness, according to statements delivered at a parliamentary
commission.
Malaria, acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea and malnutrition
were cited by experts as just some of the chronic health problems
prevalent among Brazil's 215 native tribes.
"There are more than 150,000 Indians who are hungry, many of them
depend on the basket of staple foods given by Funai (National Indian
Foundation) or a politician from their region," said Roberto
Liebgott, representing the Indigenous Missionary Council, a Catholic
organisation.
Liebgott was one of the speakers at a hearing of a commission set up
to monitor the health of Brazil's 326,000 Indians, many of whom live
in the remotest areas of Brazil's vast Amazon basin.
He said Brazil's government was neglecting its indigenous peoples,
and blamed their poor health on a lack of clear policy and funding
from Funai, the government's Indian agency.
"The health situation is part of a policy of lack of attention by the
government to the Indian population. The state gives the Indian
population no priority," Liebgott said.
Mauricio Guarani, a representative for the indigenous communities
also speaking at the commission hearing, said the government's health
programmes were administered with no consideration for specific needs
of individual tribes.
"Every tribe has its own way of living and using remedies," he said.
"If the government cared more about Indian health, they would use
more funds and give us better attention."