The Indians of the Javari Valley in the Brazilian Amazon have warned that rates of malaria and hepatitis in their communities are spiralling out of control, and that uncontacted tribes in the area are in grave danger.
The Indians say that the Brazilian authorities responsible for indigenous health care have taken insufficient action to combat the crisis. Indian leaders have been speaking out about the situation for fifteen years, but the crisis has worsened in the last five.
Please write to the Brazilian Health Minister raising your concerns about the situation in the Javari Valley.
You can use our sample letter, or write your own:
I am extremely concerned at the serious health situation of the tribes living in the Vale do Javari indigenous area in Amazonas state. According to the local indigenous organisation the health care provided by FUNASA (National Health Foundation) is inadequate and chaotic. As a result Indians are dying of malaria and hepatitis.
These fatal diseases now risk infecting groups of uncontacted Indians in the area who, due to their isolation, are extremely vulnerable to any diseases transmitted by outsiders.
I urge you to take immediate steps to resolve the health crisis and to ensure that sufficient medial teams and medicines are sent to all the affected areas as a matter of urgency.
Ministério da Saúde
Esplanada dos Ministérios
Bloco G
Brasília/DF
70.058-90
Brazil
Fax: +55 61 3321 4396
Begin: 'Dear Minister of Health'
