NewsDesk @bactiman63

The fight against malaria is an emergency and priority action in the mission in the Yanomami territory. The Ministry of Health begins to distribute, as of this Friday (Feb 10), six thousand rapid tests to be used in the response to the National Health Emergency situation. The expectation is that the number of tests will be used during ten days of actions by health agents, with the delivery of new kits from the sending of new professionals from the National Force of the SUS.

Malaria life cycle/CDC

“The initial points where the tests will be used were defined. They will be: Auaris, Surucucu, Missão Catrimani, Maloca Paapiú, Kataroa and Waphuta”, informs the nurse and responsible for the nucleus 5 of combating diseases in elimination of the Special Sanitary District Indigenous (DSEI) Yanomami, Alex Bauman.

The expert explains that the plan was drawn up by the Yanomami Emergency Operations Center (COE), due to the importance of rapidly diagnosing cases of contamination. “The rapid tests were chosen due to ease of use and weight – being lighter, it is easier to send to remote areas”, he points out.

Support point of the National Program for the Prevention and Combat of Malaria (PNCM), Brenda Coelho explains that the tests will be used in 100% of the population of the points defined in the Plan. “Even asymptomatic patients will be tested. This way we will have a more accurate analysis of the situation in the villages. And the test is simple: the agent collects a drop of blood from the patient and uses a reagent to identify the disease”, she says.

However, in cases of patients with relapse in the treatment of malaria, it will also be possible to perform the Thick smear test. “This is the gold standard test at national level, it is more specific in the results, with the number, for example, of gametocyte parasites”, he concludes.

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Emergency in the territory

On a visit to the Catrimani Mission, the Secretary of Indigenous Health (Sesai), Ricardo Weibe Tapeba, highlighted the importance of ensuring infrastructure and equipment for agents and indigenous people allocated. The folder holder visited the region this Wednesday (8) and presented the urgency in solving the calls. “In general, the health hub is in good condition, but interventions in terms of logistics are necessary. The scenario of nearby communities is also a concern”, he observed. According to local professionals, one of the communities has not received a visit from health agents for over a year, due to the lack of structure for access.

Weibe details that the demands are for telephone, internet for communication, infrastructure, inputs and equipment. “The teams are very engaged throughout the territory, but they report a lack of slides for testing and monitoring malaria, for example. And the disease is in great demand in the region”, he pointed out.