Brazilian university brings healthcare to remote Amazon communities

The Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA) partnered with the Marinha do Brasil (Brazilian Navy) to deliver medical care and health education to 19 riverine communities in the Amazonas state of Brazil.

From August 12th to 27th, the joint “Operação Embarcada” (Embarked Operation) utilized the Navy’s Hospital Support Ship (NAsH) Soares de Meirelles to reach isolated populations along the Negro River. The operation provided approximately 2,000 medical appointments and 3,500 procedures.

UFCSPA also extends healthcare beyond the Amazon, working with communities in Rio Grande do Sul. They have assisted residents of Capão Novo, São Miguel das Missões, and other towns, while also training community health workers in the Porto Alegre metropolitan area. This work stems from a five-year cooperation agreement signed in April 2026 between UFCSPA and the Ministry of Defense, potentially leading to two health initiatives each year focused on the states of Amazonas, Acre, and Roraima.

The operation involved a team of 16 health professionals and students who provided services like first aid workshops, sexual health education, and eye care, including distributing 17 kg of eye drops and over 400 pairs of sunglasses to prevent pterygium, a growth on the eye that can lead to blindness.

They also addressed social and personal conflicts, offering psychological support and referrals, recognizing that women and children are particularly vulnerable to abuse in the Amazon region, as in other parts of Brazil. UFCSPA’s commitment extends to other projects like Projeto Rondon, relaunched in 2005, and the regional Projeto Raízes, both aiming to deliver health and education to vulnerable communities.

They also participated in an operation in Pará state, visiting the Terra e Liberdade encampment, a settlement of over 5,000 landless workers near the Carajás iron ore mine, and were impressed by the community’s organization and food security.