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 Tribal leaders in the Amazon region have complained of the deals and
prosecutors say they will investigate the reports as part of an
investigation already underway into the diversion of vaccine shots
intended for indigenous people.
Brazil is currently experiencing one of the worst waves of the
coronavirus pandemic any country has suffered, and its indigenous
people are among the most vulnerable.
The Hutukara Association, which represents the Yanomami people,
flagged the issue to prosecutors with the backing of the Instituto
Socioambiental, a non-governmental organization.
The association said a health worker in the Homoxi district gave
illegal miners vaccines in exchange for gold. The worker also sold
gasoline and a generator to the miners for gold, the association
said.
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 "The Yanomami have long
complained that materials and medicines intended
for indigenous health are being diverted to
wildcat miners," Hutukara's Dário Kopenawa
Ianomâmi said in a letter outlining the formal
complaints sent to prosecutors and the Health
Ministry.
Another case involved a separate health worker
who met miners at night and gave them medicine
in exchange for gold, the association said.
The Health Ministry said it received the letter
on April 5 and had opened the investigation.
(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu and Ricardo
Brito, writing by Jamie McGeever; editing by
Jane Wardell)
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