This paper is based on bibliographical research and critical corroboration about the experiences and reflections of a student and her preceptor during the first year of the PET-Health/Networks for indigenous people, sponsored by the Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (UCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil. We clarify the laws and politics that started the project, and reach conclusions about the implementation of the public healthcare network for indigenous people living in Porto Alegre. During the first year, efforts were focused on mapping the health care network for this population and identifying the challenges, possibilities, and interactions between indigenous policies and public healthcare. This account includes authors who debate this subject and contributions from their points of view, based on what was found about these reflections in the city of Porto Alegre.
Health of indigenous peoples; Public health; Health care; Health in education