Developed by MRN, the Quilombo Project offers primary services to the most remote locations in western Pará
The Quilombo Project, developed by Mineração Rio do Norte (MRN) in partnership with the Vale do Trombetas Foundation, continues to promote well-being among residents of Quilombola communities in the western region of Pará State. The initiative, which offers primary healthcare services in remote locations, is an important ally for access to quality medical care for people living in isolated areas of the municipality of Oriximiná.
In recent weeks, the project's medical team has been in communities such as Abuí, Tapagem and Sagrado Coração de Jesus, providing comprehensive care, including medical consultations, laboratory tests, distribution of medicines and even social assistance.
Domitilo Xavier, a resident of the Tapagem community, highlights the importance of the project. “We think they're doing a very important service for us. I was born and brought up here and things are difficult and now, with this project, we've been well looked after. My grandson was burning up with fever and I went there for a consultation with a physician”, he commented.
Maria Adão, 71, a resident of the Abuí Community, celebrated the end of her long journeys to seek medical care in the city center. “Since I took part in the Quilombo Project, thanks to my good Lord, I've never been to Oriximiná again. I hope this project never abandons our community because the nurses treat us with great care,” she said.
The convenience and speed of the service were also highlighted by Maria de Nazaré Colé, a resident of the Tapagem community, which was served by the itinerant project. “Many of the questions we had sometimes had to go to Porto Trombetas or Oriximiná and now we can wait at home and solve the problem right here,” she said.
Pharmacist Monique Alves is one of the professionals in the multidisciplinary team that participates in the Quilombo Project and explains that the team tries to adapt the treatments to the reality of the communities and to the traditional knowledge that exists in the region. “When we work in a hospital, we listen to the patient's complaints, we treat them and they go home. Here, we can understand what the problem is within the environment and adapt it to their reality. We're in a remote place and often the people of the Amazon and the communities follow more natural medicine. Not only do we allow them to use the medications we recommend, but we tell them not to neglect their culture. This makes the patient better at adhering to treatment”, she stated.
Fábio Goulart de Oliveira, the Quilombo Project's pharmacy services coordinator, highlights the importance of the initiative for health professionals. “Providing these services is very enriching as a health professional. It's a unique experience. Offering these services to the population is rewarding, but also a challenge because we explore the full potential of what we learned at university,” he said.
Developed over 20 years ago, the Quilombo Project is a benchmark in medical care for the residents. This project is part of MRN's Socio-Environmental Education Program, in compliance with IBAMA (Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) requirements. Throughout its history, the Project has collected accolades and awards, such as the one presented in 2022 by the Brazilian Association of International Peace Forces of the United Nations (ABFIP ONU), in recognition of its work with the Quilombola and riverside peoples in the region.
“We are always seeking to improve our services in order to provide an increasingly complete service to the communities. That's why we've expanded the project to include exams, social services and consultations with specialists in order to improve residents' quality of life,” explained Lenilton Santos de Jesus, MRN's Community Relations Analyst.