Brazil: Public Ministry Warns Against Religious Intolerance

The Federal Public Ministry (MPF) of Brazil has issued a recommendation to a Rio de Janeiro private hospital to establish a protocol within 60 days for attending patients who practice African-derived religions, emphasising equality and extensive dialogue.

This action comes in response to a case involving a man who suffered second-degree burns during a surgical procedure at the hospital. The patient incurred burns on his left forearm, an area bearing a tattoo honouring his deity, representative of Candomblé and Umbanda.

While the hospital was unable to clarify how the injury occurred in that specific area, stating the burn was not linked to religious intolerance but rather energy dissipation in the tissue, the MPF recognised the need for preventive measures due to potential risks of similar incidents.

In a bid to curb instances of religious intolerance, the hospital has been recommended to provide comprehensive training on the subject for all staff members and promote a commitment to respect all religions while combating religious racism within its premises.

Julio José Araujo Junior, the Regional Prosecutor for Citizen Rights, underscored the fundamental right to freedom of belief in Brazilian law and condemned religious intolerance. The MPF stressed that the law governing the Unified Health System (SUS) ensures health as a fundamental right and obliges the State to uphold principles of universality and equal assistance without any form of bias.

The MPF further emphasised that the private healthcare network must align with the SUS’s general guidelines, particularly ensuring equality and non-discrimination in care, respecting diverse cultural, sexual, racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds while refraining from prejudicial and intolerant actions.

Additionally, the document referenced the Ministry of Health’s Anti-Racist Strategy for Health outlined in Ordinance No. 2198/2023. This strategy establishes a comprehensive mechanism to review all ministry-supported actions, emphasising the promotion of ethnic-racial equity and the integration of anti-racism initiatives into all health policies, prioritising the eradication of racism against minority groups like blacks, indigenous people, and others.

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source:
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