Background for Implementation

Most of the Northeast Region of Brazil is not as developed as other parts of the country.

Infant mortality rates are high in both the countryside and peripheral area of metropolis, due to malnutrition stemming from poverty and rampant diseases originating from parasites and caused by the lack of public health-related infrastructure combined with poor hygienic practices of the population. The low level of education among local residents contributes toward worsening the situation.

In response to these problems, the Federal University of Pernambuco developed a 5-year Public Health Development Project for Northeast Brazil in Pernambuco, with the participation of the Pernambuco State Government and project-type technical cooperation from JICA between 1995 and 2000. This project demonstrated successful results in pilot areas, such as a reduction in the infant mortality rate. However, the Northeast region remains at a lower level on the health and social development indices when compared to the national average.

With such a background, the Brazilian Government has asked the Japanese government for a Technical Cooperation Project aimed at developing models that can build up the social mechanisms necessary for the improvement of the Human Development Index in the region, grounded in experience, know-how and interrelationships among related organizations such as local governments, as obtained through The Public Health Development Project for the Northeast Brazil in Pernambuco. The current project includes health as well as other fields of interest.