The Senate approved today (4) the Proposed Amendment to the Constitution (PEC) 9/2022, which establishes a minimum wage of two minimum wages, currently R$ 2,424, for community health and endemic agents. The PEC was approved this Wednesday morning in the Constitution and Justice Commission (CCJ) and was included in the agenda of the Plenary of the House as soon as the Order of the Day began. The PEC is going to be promulgated.
For the vote on the PEC, dozens of community health agents were on the premises of the Senate and many of them went to the galleries of the plenary of the House. There was no objection to the approval of the PEC, which had been going through Congress for 11 years. Approval was unanimous in both rounds. After approval in the second round, professionals in the category applauded the result.
According to the text, the salaries of the agents will be paid by the Union and the amounts for payment will be foreseen in the Budget with its own and specific allocation. The proposal guarantees these professionals additional unhealthy and special retirement due to the risks inherent to the functions performed and determines that states, the Federal District and municipalities must establish other advantages, incentives, aids, bonuses and indemnities to value the work of these professionals.
Reported by Senator Fernando Collor (PTB-AL), who created the activity when he was President of the Republic, the text presented underwent a single change, but did not make the text need to return for analysis by the Chamber of Deputies.
“Currently, in Brazil, there are about 400,000 community health workers and agents fighting endemic diseases,” said Collor, in his report. “It happens that these agents do not receive remuneration compatible with the importance of their activities for our society. Brazil, 30 years after the creation of the program, still does not provide the treatment that these professionals deserve”.
