Lisiane Wandscheer Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasilia – Speaking at the 4th National Conference on Mental Health, minister of Health, José Gomes Temporão, declared that the challenge facing Brazil is to protect the mental health of the individual beginning at conception. Temporão called for intersectorial action by various ministries to achieve that goal - universal, comprehensive healthcare, Brazilian style.
“We need intersectorial action that will provide care for women while they are pregnant, at birth and enable a mother to care for herself and child until the latter is 5 years of age. It is during this period that biological and psychic structures are formed for the future citizen.”
Temporão said a project to keep all Brazilians healthy, focused on the mother and the child, was being an enormous success.
“We seek to avoid diseases during early stages of life. The objective is to have a healthy child become a healthy adult who is not subject to mental problems and use of drugs, for example," declatred the minister.
As for modern, progressive reforms in psychiatric care, the minister said they were here to stay in spite of opposition from more conservative sectors of society.

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English
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