{"id":62442,"date":"2020-10-19T10:07:55","date_gmt":"2020-10-19T13:07:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rioonwatch.org\/?p=62442"},"modified":"2020-10-20T10:44:52","modified_gmt":"2020-10-20T13:44:52","slug":"online-event-on-covid-19-in-favelas-dashboards-highlights-underreporting-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=62442","title":{"rendered":"Online Event on Covid-19 in Favelas Dashboards Highlights Underreporting [VIDEO]"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/em><\/a><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

This is our latest article on\u00a0<\/i>Covid-19 and its impacts on the favelas<\/a>.<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n

On September 9, a joint project conducted by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro\u2019s Citizenship University<\/a>, WikiFavelas – Marielle Franco Favelas Dictionary<\/a> and Urbano – Laboratory of Studies of the City<\/a> concluded a cycle of online events about favelas, pandemics, and citizenships. The final event, entitled \u201cFavelas, Pandemics, and Citizenships: Dashboards of Covid-19 in Favelas<\/a>,\u201d included the participation of Camila Barros of Redes da Mar\u00e9<\/a>, Theresa Williamson of Catalytic Communities*, and Anna Paula Sales of the A.M.I.G.A.S.<\/a> collective in Itagua\u00ed<\/a>. It was mediated by Dulce Pandolfi of the Citizenship University and by Alexandre Magalh\u00e3es of the Favelas Dictionary.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is an intentional policy of neglect,\u201d Williamson said about underreporting<\/a> in the pandemic and, generally, about the history of Rio de Janeiro\u2019s favelas in relation to the State. \u201cPublic data do not refer to the favelas despite the fact that they are known to be the most vulnerable areas to the pandemic, and [health authorities] were not testing [in favelas].\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Williamson told of episodes recounted by favela residents: \u201cThere are accounts of people who have symptoms, go to the clinic to get tested, and are told to return [for a test] in two weeks if they still have symptoms, [that is,] if the person returns and is still alive.\u201d She also pointed out that there are cases in which \u201cwe have heard reports of people to whom the doctor told the family, \u2018If we declare Covid [the cause of death], you will not have the burial you want,\u2019 and so families are opting to not declare in order to have contact with the body at the end.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She also explained that official government data do not count suspected cases<\/a>, and with the lack of testing, official numbers are much lower than reality. \u201cThe World Health Organization<\/a> said to count suspected cases<\/a>\u00a0when testing is limited, but the Brazilian government dashboards don\u2019t count this, nor do they give visibility to the favelas. This is why the community initiatives are important.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While the State lacks a contingency plan, leaders have united<\/a> to meet the needs of favela residents, through distributing basic foodstuffs and hygiene products<\/a> and conducting informal Covid-19 case counts. This counting is then included in the Covid-19 in Favelas Unified Dashboard<\/a> which, so far, has been able to monitor Covid-19 cases in 159 favelas in the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region. The Unified Dashboard is constantly searching for new sources, be they local rapporteurs or public sources of data.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sales said that this work is a lesson in loving those nearby. \u201cAt A.M.I.G.A.S., we started to do a count… Starting with the leaders [walking through the communities] and WhatsApp groups, we were able to identify the positive cases and suspected cases.\u201d Sales said that political forces tried to discourage the force of the collective. She said that \u201cthey tried to hurt our image, [they] said that women don\u2019t know how to count, but we didn\u2019t believe it, and we mapped the communities.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Barros, in Mar\u00e9<\/a> the situation is similar. \u201cAt Redes of Mar\u00e9, we have a data collection strategy: first with cases of violence, now with Covid-19.\u201d With various areas of action ranging from food security to data processing<\/span>\u2014published in a weekly bulletin<\/a>\u2014Redes of Mar\u00e9 was also able to establish, with the help of various associations, a center for testing<\/a> in Mar\u00e9 and is, together with Fiocruz, implementing telemedicine<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow we have the possibility to forward these suspected cases to a testing center in Mar\u00e9 and accompany the positive cases. Another question is that of isolation. Not everyone is able to maintain isolation<\/a>. Because of this, we offer a social accompaniment so that these people can do it,\u201d explained Barros.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is thanks to the meticulous work of these leaders that the reality of the favelas becomes clear to the public, demonstrating that the virus is far from finished. Sales said, \u201cI am worried about the second wave because I am still in the first. It\u2019s not just a little flu!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

All of the speakers at the event emphasized that cautions should continue to be observed, due to the fact that public authorities do not communicate in an effective way with the population. Barros clarified that \u201cpeople are relativizing the issue of the disease<\/a>, there is already baile funk [funk music parties]… But this has a lot to do with the discourse of public authorities.\u201d She concluded: \u201cOur principle role is to set the agenda for public authorities. Redes da Mar\u00e9 is here to strengthen and make demands of them. We are questioning the official data that do not express the reality that we live in the territory.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch the Online Discussion Here<\/a>:<\/h3>\n