In Brazil, the first project (action-symbol) linked to the A Vaccine for All campaign titled Prevention, Vaccine and Healthcare for the riberinhos of Amazonia in support of the Covid19 care and prevention actions of the “Papa Francisco” hospital boat has concluded.
Brazil has been one of the countries most affected by Covid19 and the Pará region, where the care project is focused, was already in a situation of extreme vulnerability before the pandemic. The action, which came about at the same time as the A Vaccine for All campaign promoted by an international network of more than 40 organizations from different countries to demand stronger action from governments for free and universal access to vaccines, is directed at the people living along the banks of the river that runs through the Amazon, the riberinhos.
These communities lack access to care and cannot easily reach hospitals. Barco Hospital Papa Francisco (River Hospital), run by Associação Lar São Francisco de Assis na Providencia de Deus, has been operating here since August 2019.
The campaign promoted a political action that fostered relations with local authorities and communities, facilitating the assistance action already initiated by the hospital ship.
With the fundraising launched for the campaign at the international level, AMU-Action for a United World was able to support the Prevention, Vaccine and Healthcare for the riberinhos of Amazonia project in collaboration with the hospital ship, which distributed food and basic necessities to families in need, devices for prevention from Covid19 and medicines and assistance from health workers to support the rehabilitation of those who had the disease.
In the first phase, interventions focused mainly on supporting families affected by the severe floods that had hit the area. In just a few weeks these populations lost their homes, inundated by the waters, and their boats and fishing nets, essential tools for their livelihoods.
Each mission brought basic necessities, such as food, water, hygiene products, baby products and medicines, to the communities.
Subsequently, the government, through the SUS (Brazilian Health System), thanks also to the support of the municipality and the churches who made their spaces available, began to immunize these communities from Covid19 and the ship “Papa Francisco” resumed its activities, including checkups, medical tests, therapies, such as dental and operations, from surgical to ophthalmic, which had been suspended during the emergency.
The total collected for the “A Vaccine for All” campaign as of March 31, 2022 is €52,278.33
A total of €23,448.00 was used for the project “Prevention, Vaccine and Healthcare for Riberhinos,” which enabled the hospital ship to purchase the following materials:
- 441 food baskets;
- 232,811 surgical gloves;
- 5,361 surgical caps;
- 17,699 masks;
- 1299 surgical aprons;
- 279 liters of alcohol sanitizing solution.
The following products, however, were not purchased because they were received as donations:
- 600m3 of oxygen;
- 9,000 surgical masks;
- 200 liters of alcohol gel;
- various medicines.
The remaining funds collected are being used to support the second project targeting people in rural India and other campaign costs.