Telehealth: A Tool for Technological Innovation with Perspectives of Promotion of Indigenous Healthcare in the State of Amazonas, Brazil

ABSTRACT

This article aims to present the Telehealth system implemented at indigenous villages in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. Faced with the peculiar configurations of the state of Amazonas, Telehealth and all its tools can alleviate the deficiency in the number of active health professionals working in this region, giving access to health, especially in indigenous villages. Although the Federal Constitution of 1988 brought the concept of universalization of health, it is known that the legislation alone does not make this right into reality. In this context, the implementation of the Telehealth tool is presented as an innovative format, with possibilities to reach out to a larger number of locations with difficult access, making it possible to reduce the factors that impede medical assistance. The indigenous population in the state of Amazonas is large in comparison to the other states of the federation, and amongst the thirty-four (34) indigenous districts, seven (7) are entirely within the state's borders and are areas of great territorial extension. This research may contribute to the discussions about the need to seek innovative formats for healthcare of the indigenous population in remote regions.

Keywords:
Amazonas; Telehealth; indigenous populations; healthcare; indigenous villages.