Maranhão

04/10/23

The Vale Foundation signed a partnership with the Multimodal Intermunicipal Consortium (CIM) to implement the Health and Social Protection Cycle project in 24 municipalities neighboring the Carajás Railroad, in Maranhão. The initiative aims to strengthen primary health care and social assistance in these municipalities, integrating efforts with the municipal government to consolidate sectoral public policies and community service. 

By 2026, 396 Basic Health Units (UBS), and 55 Social Assistance Reference Centers (CRAS) will be benefited, including 451 services and 5,000 professionals. 

Among the actions foreseen by the project are donation of furniture and equipment to the UBS and CRAS; training for/with teams of professionals in the Unified Health System (SUS), the Unified Social Assistance System (SUAS) and local partners; promotion of health education practices; direct advice for the elaboration of programs and access to national policies. With this format of action, the project seeks to contribute to the expansion of the capacity of diagnosis, planning, operationalization, monitoring and evaluation, from the elaboration of work plans shared with the public management. The plans will consider the needs of health and expanding the access of populations to the services. 

The Health and Social Protection Cycle will be carried out by Cedaps, a civil society organization that promotes the strengthening of communities and public services, focusing on sustainable, inclusive and healthy public policies. The project also has the partnership of city halls that are part of the CIM and, through the Together for Health fund, Wheaton Precious Metals and the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES). 

This is another initiative of the Vale Foundation that is part of our strategy to help promote education and public health in Maranhão, joining forces with the Literacy Trails project – to strengthen basic education –, which is also carried out in partnership with CIM and the city halls.  

“Our work in health seeks to strengthen the permanent education of professionals, support strategic planning and expand access to public health and social assistance policies. In practice, we want the actions to result in the improvement of the services offered and in the social development of these municipalities”, says Marcus Finco, representative of the Vale Foundation.