The
national representative Erika Kokay (PT-DF), coordinator of the National
Congress Parliamentary Front against STD/HIV/AIDS, is going to sponsor a bill
of rights at the House of Representatives in order to invalidate the Ordinance
1091/2017 at the Ministry of Health.
The
initiative happened due to na inducement made by the president of the State of
São Paulo Forum on NGO/AIDS (FOAESP), Rodrigo Pinheiro, at the Solemn Session in
reference to the World AIDS Day at the House of Representatives, on December 1.
The
Ordinance, agreed at the Tripartite Interagency Commission (composed of members
of the Ministry of Health, the National Council of Health Secretaries and the
National Council of Municipal Health Offices), which determines that the
resources for the health finance in Brazil must be allocated in only two accounts
– cost and capital –, replacing the current six financing packages. Activities concerning
prevention, care and control of HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and Tuberculosis are in
the Health Surveillance financial package.
The
requirement
During
his statement, Rodrigo thanked the congresswoman for convening the solemn
session, but exacted from the Chamber and its chairman the “compromise on this
public health issue”. “I affirm the problem is real and it is unbearable that
in Brazil about thirty four people are still dying from AIDS-related illness
every day, one person becomes newly infected every fifteen minutes. The country
no longer is a reference on the fight against the disease for some time now. This
setback is going to increase the number of newly cases and deaths after the
Ministry of Health Ordinance 1091/2017, that reduces the current number of six
financing packages to two. The incentive policy [which gives support to the
programmes on the fight against HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis] belongs to the Health
Surveillance financing package, the one which guarantees that the
municipalities that have more AIDS incidence, are supported by these funds to
improve actions against the epidemic. This is on the verge of extinction. As a
consequence of the financial packages extinction, the Brazilian epidemic that nowadays is
concentrated will become generalized. This Chamber must be committed on barring
those Ordinance, otherwise, this country will suffer a huge reversal on the
fight against AIDS.
From
the chairmanship of the Solemn Session, the deputy Erika Kokay undertook to sponsor
a bill of rights in order to suspend the Ministry of Health Ordinance 1091/2017,
as also to invite the minister of heath, Ricardo Barros, for a public hearing,
“so he can explain the setback we are witnessing regarding to the policy on the
fight against AIDS”.
The secretary
of the National Articulation on the Fight against AIDS (Anaids), Carla Diana, reported
that the organization which represents the Brazilian social movement on the fight
against AIDS has issued a note against the Ordinance 1091/2017. The document
expresses the Anaids’ concern and opposition to the governmental initiative,
that have already worsened after the investment freeze implemented through the Constitutional
Amendment 95/2016”. According to the note, the incentive policy is “fundamental
on the fight against AIDS, as it keeps efforts at the prioritized States and
Municipalities”.
“It is
necessary to point out that the Ordinance, when taking out the financing of
specific destination, works at the perspective of the extinction of the policies
on the fight against HIV/AIDS, as well as the NGOs, that brought the AIDS issue
to the agenda. If the financial blocks are extinguished, we will probably face
many difficulties on convincing the state and municipal managers to assume the efforts
against the epidemic”, answered the deputy to the chair of the board.
Previously
to Rodrigo, Luis Carlos Vieira, who was representing the National Network of
People Living with HIV and AIDS (RNP+Brasil) on the occasion, read the institution
document that is also opposed to the Ministry of Health Ordinance. Erika Kokay suggested
a public hearing to discuss the points listed in the document.
Red December
At no
point of his statement did the technical advisor Ivo Brito, from the Ministry
of Health Department on STI, HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis Surveillance and
Control mention the Ordinance 1091/2017.
The congresswoman ended the hearing questioning
who would mourn the 34 deaths from AIDS-related illness in Brazil every day. “Surely
will it not be the State”. However, she highlighted the importance of the Red
December law, enacted by the Presidency of the Republic in the beginning of
November, as also the law criminalizing discrimination against people living
with HIV/AIDS enacted by the President Dilma Roussef.
