Valtemir Rodrigues
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - By investing approximately US$ 305 million, the National Health Foundation (FUNASA) hopes to improve the health of 3.3 million people through basic sanitation projects in various parts of the country, as well as creating around 160 thousand jobs. This information comes from FUNASA president, Paulo Lustosa.

According to Lustosa, nearly 2 thousand municipalities will be benefited by environmental sanitation services. The projects began in 2005. 2,838 covenants were signed with states and municipalities for the execution of projects in the areas of public water supplies, sewer systems, and improvements in residential sanitary conditions, such as bathroom additions, drainage systems, garbage treatment, and housing improvements for the control of Chagas' disease.

In Lustosa's opinion, actions like these are important for the process of social inclusion. "Inasmuch as these populations are benefited, their lives gain in quality. This directly affects their lives by improving their nutritional state, reducing the incidence of diseases and the number of deaths, and even increasing their productivity," he explained.

Lustosa recalled that the money spent on sanitation ends up producing substantial savings in medical services. "For each US$ 0.43 invested in basic sanitation, at least US$ 2.20 are economized in remedies and health treatments in the hospital system," he pointed out.

According to Lustosa, the goal in 2006 is to increase the resources available in this area by 40%. He believes that the new investments will save the public coffers at least US$ 1.3 billion over the next few years, since it is money that will not have to be spent on health problems.

Translation: David Silberstein