Lower Amazon Region discusses the challenges of Social Work in Pará Amazon
The meeting brought together professionals from the field and other specialties to share experiences and emphasize the importance of the work of social workers for SUS users
In commemoration of National Social Worker Day, celebrated on May 15, the Dr. Waldemar Penna Regional Hospital of Lower Amazon (HRBA), located in Santarém, in western Pará, held the second edition of the Social Workers Meeting. The event took place in the hospital unit's auditorium.
The symposium gathered professionals from the Social Work field, as well as specialists from other health areas who work at HRBA and partner institutions, such as the Federal University of Western Pará (Ufopa), the Association of Parents and Friends of the Exceptional (Apae), the Municipal Social Assistance Secretariat (Semtras), and the Specialized Reference Center for Social Assistance (Creas).
With the theme "Social Work in Pará Amazon", the meeting aimed to discuss the challenges of the profession in the regional context and highlight the relevance of the work of social workers with users of the Unified Health System (SUS).
"This second edition was a success. The participation was excellent. We shared experiences from the practice of Social Work that significantly contributed to the qualification of the profession throughout the region, considering that the Regional Hospital is inserted in an Amazonian dynamic, with its peculiarities and characteristics," evaluated Rose Mara Jardim Ruiz, coordinator of the psychosocial sector of HRBA.
Present at the event, Kerlanny Amaral, representative of the Regional Social Work Council of Pará (Cress-PA), praised the initiative to discuss the reality and challenges of the profession in the Amazon. "It is essential to reflect on our practice, especially in the context of Pará Amazon, understanding its complexities and specificities. The social worker needs to be attentive to the particularities of the patients who seek us," she emphasized.
As a reference in medium and high complexity for a population of 1.4 million inhabitants distributed across 29 municipalities in western Pará, HRBA has seven social workers. These professionals work daily to ensure patients' rights, from hospital admission to medical discharge, providing emotional support, activating the support network when necessary, and intervening in situations of social vulnerability.
For the general director of the unit, Matheus Coutinho, hosting the event at the hospital reinforces the appreciation of Social Work not only at HRBA but throughout the Lower Amazon region. "They are essential professionals for us, who work directly with our users, offering the social support they so desperately need during care. This moment goes beyond a tribute; it is an effective contribution to the strengthening and continuous development of Social Work in our region," he concluded.
Service: The Lower Amazon Hospital provides 100% referenced service, attending to the demand originating from the State Regulation Center. The unit belongs to the Government of Pará, under the administration of the Social Institute Mais Saúde, in partnership with the State Secretariat of Public Health (Sespa), and is located at Avenida Sérgio Henn, No. 1100, in the Diamantino neighborhood, in Santarém.
