The forgotten: a devastating measles epidemic affects Venezuelan and Brazilian natives | International



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The Amazon is a region whose name already denotes the distance, but also forgetfulness. This is denounced by organizations that monitor many indigenous communities, connected to the border between Venezuela and Brazil. The photos support it. It is necessary to act quickly before it is too late.

Survival International is in charge of the denunciation but also calls on the Venezuelan government to come to the aid of those communities which, although remote, urgently need a vaccination plan. like the one started in 2017 against measles and rubella. At that time, 11 million doses were allocated nationwide, but the plan left the native Yanomami in the Amazon, which – in an unknown number – live in oblivion in 11 communities in the above-mentioned region.

  Fiona Watson | Survival
Fiona Watson | Survival

"When indigenous peoples suffer from diseases that they have never known, many of them die and whole populations can be destroyed. These people are the most vulnerable on the planet. Urgent medical help is the only thing that will prevent its complete devastation. That's the cry of help in a blunt sentence from the director of survival, Stephen Corry.

The Forgotten

A group of indigenous Yanomamis, on the Brazilian side, was the first to report the measles outbreak in their communities. They went to the hospital in Boa Vista, one of the areas where there is a strong presence of Venezuelans who fled the crisis in their country. At least 23 sick natives arrived at the hospital, "but most of those affected can not access medical badistance because they live in very remote areas" Survival's complaint.

  Antonio Ribeiro | Survival
Antonio Ribeiro | Survival

In June of this year, there is already talk of an epidemic, reaching indigenous populations on the Venezuelan side. The socio-environmental working group of the Amazon, Wataniba served some figures of infections: in communities like Oroshi and Irotha were 25 weeks ago but these have spread with the over time mainly affecting men between 15 and 39 years, although there are also children in serious condition because of this situation.

In fact, the Pan American Health Organization-PAHO said in its first quarter report of 2018 that Venezuela is leading measles cases in Latin America, with children under 15 years being the most affected

Miners: the vehicle of measles

The reports of Watanabi and Survival International aim to unify the appeal to the international community to avoid a pandemic of measles in the Amazon between Brazil and Venezuela. But Survival says that the causes of the epidemic that threatens the Yanomami today, is due to the arrival of illegal miners carrying the disease. This organization considers that at least the Venezuelan government has ignored the denunciations to stop them.

  Photo Wataniba
Photo Wataniba

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