Choice of head of fight against AIDS generates reaction against Ministry of Health

The choice of the head of the STI/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Department, an area recreated by the PT government in the Ministry of Health for the treatment and prevention of sexually transmitted infections, generated the first disagreement between minister Nísia Trindade’s team and civil society organizations .

A pioneer in the fight against HIV in Brazil and an international reference on the subject, physician Fábio Mesquita was formally invited to the post and even participated in meetings of directors of the Health Surveillance Secretariat of the portfolio. Last week, however, the head of the department passed to the doctor Draurio Barreira, currently manager of Tuberculosis at Unitaid, a global agency linked to the WHO (World Health Organization).

The change led to the sending of letters of support to Mesquita, signed by representatives of hundreds of entities in the area of ​​health and human rights. He was passed over despite having been nominated by the PT’s National Health Sector.

Barreira was chosen after sending a letter from Foaesp (Forum of NGOs/AIDS of the State of São Paulo) in which the entity reported to the minister its concern with the referral of the doctor to the department. The forum states that Mesquita’s tenure at the former Department of STD, AIDS and Viral Hepatitis, which he headed from 2013 to 2016, “was not fruitful, both in articulation with the movement, since there were divisions, and in response to the epidemic of HIV/Aids”.

Colleagues from Mesquita reported to the Sheet that the decision to dismiss him took place after a meeting between the secretary of Health Surveillance, Ethel Maciel, and the president of Foaesp, Rodrigo Pinheiro.

At the head of the forum, Pinheiro opposed PT governments for years. In 2013, he organized a motion to repudiate the pre-candidacy of Alexandre Padilha (PT), now Minister of Institutional Relations and at the time in charge of Health, for the São Paulo government. He was also against Padilha’s re-election to the presidency of the CNS (National Health Council) and made public criticisms of the Dilma Rousseff government.

Letters sent by associations, health forums and social movements following the Foaesp demonstration disagreed with the criticism of Mesquita. Entities even claim that Pinheiro would have spoken on behalf of entities that he does not represent.

“Persons with questionable motives have spread this information [de que Mesquita não dialogava com movimentos do setor]using a supposed representation of dozens of organizations and movements, which were never consulted or informed that they would have their names involved in such an initiative”, says a letter signed by more than one hundred entities.

The organizations ask for a meeting with the minister and “that measures be taken, with a view to resuming the institutional ethics of this government”.

Maciel has already met virtually with representatives of social movements, especially in the area of ​​support for people with HIV and populations vulnerable to the disease. They demanded Mesquita’s reappointment to office. According to a participant’s report, the secretary did not let everyone speak and did not guarantee the doctor’s choice.

According to the letter, the meetings that sealed the name change took place “without the government’s representatives being formally named, totally in disagreement with the law of transparency and the political and ethical precepts that are the keynote of the Lula government.”

Mesquita worked for WHO for 12 years, always in the area of ​​HIV and Viral Hepatitis, in several countries. For the past two years, he has coordinated the response to the Covid-19 pandemic in Myanmar and was the deputy representative of the organization in the country, which is governed by a military junta after a coup d’état in February 2021.

The report tried to contact Foaesp by telephone at the number indicated on the institution’s website, but was informed that it was not the forum’s headquarters. An email was sent to the address provided, but there was no response at the time of publication of this text.

The Ministry of Health reported, in a note, that the processes for appointing the secretariat and directorates of the folder “have been guided by listening to institutions and social movements, which is part of the process of a government that takes into account democratic listening “.

The ministry says that this occurred in the nomination of the holder of the Department of Surveillance of IST/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis, Draurio Barreira. “In addition to technical competence, the current management of the Ministry of Health is guided by the political commitment of a government program elected by the majority of society.”