(Photograph: Edilson Rodrigues)A bill of law to declare FIOCRUZ “national heritage in Public Health” was submitted by Congressman Odorico Monteiro (PSB-Ceará) during an official ceremony paying tribute to the centennial of the death of public health physician and scientist Osvaldo Cruz, held on August 9 on the floor of Brazil’s House of Representatives. The bill proposes to award the title to institutions with more than 70 years of work in the field of Public Health, granting the title now to FIOCRUZ. The Congressman from the state of Ceará was also responsible for proposing to hold the special session.
The Brazilian National Anthem was played by saxophonist Leopoldo Crisostómo, marking the opening of the session, featuring three hours of stories on the feats of Oswaldo Cruz – the fight to control yellow fever and bubonic plague and the creation of the Federal Serotherapy Institute, among many others – told by members of Congress, scientists, former Ministers of Health, and guests. The head table included Congressman Odorico Monteiro, Senator Humberto Costa (PT-PE), Minister of Health Ricardo Barros, FIOCRUZ President Nísia Trindade Lima, President of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC), Ildeu Moreira, representative of the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) in Brazil, Maria Dolores Perez, representative of the Board of Directors of FIOCRUZ, Pedro Tauil, and representative of the National Health Council (CNS), Jurandir Frutuoso. In the audience were former Ministers of Health José Temporão, José Agenor Alvarez, Alceni Guerra, and Congressman Saraiva Felipe (PMDB-Minas Gerais).
Odorico Monteiro, announcing that he was a “proud” servant of FIOCRUZ, quoted Oswaldo Cruz’ in saying, “never falter, to never be unworthy” as the motto to follow, especially “in difficult times like the present”. The congressman recalled the institution’s work in various fields of knowledge, highlighting its transformative role in education and specifically citing the 26 Master’s and PhD courses at FIOCRUZ. He also cited the foundation’s capacity to produce 500 million doses of vaccine, adding a warning: “In the 20th century Brazil lost technology in fine chemistry, and we are on the verge of losing the window of opportunity for biologicals. I firmly believe that FIOCRUZ has an important role to play in reducing this dependence.”
Minister of Health Ricardo Barros recalled Oswaldo Cruz’ career and said he is “administering the Ministry of Health with great energy and courage to make the necessary changes", reporting that he intends to propose a new model for financing the Unified Health System (SUS) that will prioritize health rather than disease and generate a savings of R$50 billion (U$15 billion). Such changes are being negotiated in the tripartite commission. Immediately after addressing the floor, the Minister left the session, citing another commitment.
FIOCRUZ President Nísia Trindade Lima briefly described the institution’s history, highlighting its active role in Brazil’s health reform and the linkage in the health industrial process. She spoke of the current challenges and prospects for the future. These included strengthening FIOCRUZ by linking the science, technology, and innovation systems at the regional, national, and global levels, preparing the institution for the fourth technological revolution (Internet of Things, personalized medicine as a public health strategy), permanent education, intelligent and predictive surveillance systems, healthcare, and health promotion, among others. She emphasized the institution’s commitment to sustainable development, the reduction of territorial and regional, national, and global asymmetries in an inclusive, citizen-based knowledge society.
“My grandfather must be doing somersaults in his grave right now,” said Vera H. Oswaldo Cruz, granddaughter of the founder of FIOCRUZ. She said vehemently that a century later, Brazil is now grappling with dengue, zika, chikungunya, and “just imagine, yellow fever!". She pled with members of Congress to pass amendments to support health, citing compliance with the constitutional principle that “health is the right of everyone and the duty of the state”. She said it is time to roll up our sleeves, stop quarreling about whether the mosquitoes are municipal, state, or federal, and get to work. She went on to say that the greatest legacy of FIOCRUZ is to dare to seek new frontiers, and that the foundation’s greatest treasure is its diversity.
Pedro Tauil, member of the Board of Directors of FIOCRUZ, spoke of the historical importance of FIOCRUZ in the fight against diseases, in the campaigns, vaccine production, and training of health professionals. Senator Humberto Costa, former Minister of Health, cited the institution’s monumental history of scientific progress.
Ildeu Moreira, President of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science, quoted a study by the institution according to which Oswaldo Cruz and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation are Brazil’s best-known scientist and scientific institution, respectively. He spoke of the difficulties now faced by Brazil’s research institutions, stating that the budget cuts and restrictions adopted by the current Administration are seriously jeopardizing the country’s future.
The representative of PAHO/WHO in Brazil, Maria Dolores Perez-Rosales said that “PAHO feels honored to have a foundation named after Oswaldo Cruz as a Collaborating Center for Pharmaceutical Policies, Health Technicians’ Education, Public and Environmental Health, Leptospirosis, and Global Health and South-South Cooperation. Our institutions have been partners for many years. This collaboration has allowed us to develop actions that benefit millions or even billions of people.”
Several members of Congress took the floor to extol Oswaldo Cruz and the foundation he created: Raquel Muniz (PSDB-Minas Gerais), Chico d’Ângelo (PT-Rio de Janeiro), Jandira Fegalli (PCdoB-Rio de Janeiro), Saraiva Felipe (PMDB-Minas Gerais), Mandeta (DEM-Mato Grosso do Sul), Lindbergh Faria (PT-Rio de Janeiro), Carmen Zanotto(PPS-Santa Catarina), Jorge Solla (PT-Bahia), and Pollyana Gama (PPS-São Paulo). Justa Helena, president of ASFOC (Association of FIOCRUZ Employees) and Gerson Campos of the FIOCRUZ Graduate Students’ Association also spoke.
The session was adjourned with the official inauguration of the exhibit “Oswaldo Cruz: science and health in Brazil’s national project”, on display in the the hall leading to the House of Representatives in Brasília until August 17.
Source: FIOCRUZ News Agency
