Brazil to tackle 14 diseases that affect socially vulnerable people
The Brazilian government intends to eliminate or mitigate 14 diseases and infections that most intensely affect people facing greater social vulnerability. These are known as socially determined diseases.The decree establishing the Brasil Saudável (“Healthy Brazil”) program was signed by President Lula and Health Minister Nísia Trindade.Official data show that socially determined diseases were responsible for the deaths of more than 59 thousand people in Brazil from 2017 to 2021. The diseases targeted for elimination include malaria, Chagas disease, and schistosomiasis, as well as vertically transmitted infections such as syphilis, hepatitis B, and HIV.The initiative also aims to reduce the transmission of tuberculosis, leprosy, viral hepatitis, and HIV/AIDS. In all, 14 ministries wi...