Lula awards medal of merit for health to Janja and Xuxa

The president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) awarded the Oswaldo Cruz Medal of Merit, in the gold category, to 22 people and 10 institutions. Among those honored are First Lady Janja Lula da Silva, TV presenter Xuxa Meneghel, gymnast Daiane dos Santos and the owner of Magazine Luizabusinesswoman Luiza Trajano. The decree was published in this Wednesday’s edition (September 4, 2024) of Official Gazette of the Union. Here is the full from the list (PDF – 97 kB).

Created in 1970, the honor is used to recognize people and entities that have contributed, directly or indirectly, to the physical and mental well-being of Brazilians. The decree signed by Lula and the Minister of Health, Nísia Trindade, does not specify the work of Janja and Luiza Trajano in favor of the issue.

Read the list of people honored:

• Aparecida dos Santos Bezerra – nurse working in indigenous health and vaccinating in Baía da Traição (PB);
• Atila Iamarino – biologist, PhD in microbiology and Brazilian researcher;
• Cristiana Maria Toscano Soares – doctor, deputy head of the Department of Public Health at UFG (Federal University of Goiás) and member of the Covid-19 Crisis Committee of the same university;
• Daiane Garcia dos Santos – former gymnast and ambassador of the National Movement for Vaccination of Ministry of Health;
• Dorinaldo Barbosa Malafaia – federal deputy and coordinator of the parliamentary front in defense of the vaccine in the Chamber of Deputies;
• Wait Georges Kallás – director of Butantan Institute;
• Fabio Baccheretti Victor – president of Conass (National Council of Health Secretaries) and State Secretary of Health of Minas Gerais;
• Francis of Assisi by Oliveira Costa (PT-PI) – federal deputy and president of the Health Committee of the Chamber of Deputies;
• Hisham Mohamad Hamida – president of Conasems (National Council of Municipal Health Secretaries) and Municipal Health Secretary of Pirenópolis (GO);
• Humberto Costa (PT-PE) – senator and president of the Social Affairs Committee of the Federal Senate;
• Ivan Baron – pedagogue, influencer and anti-ableist activist from Rio Grande do Norte;
• Jayme Martins de Oliveira Neto – judge of the TJ-SP (Court of Justice of São Paulo) and member of the CNMP (Health Commission of the National Council of the Public Prosecutor’s Office);
• Jose Cassio de Moraes – doctor and professor at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Santa Casa de São Paulo;
• Luiza Helena Trajano Inacio Rodrigues – businesswoman;
• Margareth Maria Pretti Dalcolmo – researcher and member of the ANM (National Academy of Medicine);
• Xuxa Meneghel – actress, presenter, singer, businesswoman and ambassador of the National Vaccination Movement of the Ministry of Health;
• Mario Santos Moreira – president of Fiocruz (Oswaldo Cruz Foundation);
• Meiruze Sousa Freitas – pharmacist and director of the 2nd board of directors of Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency);
• Renato Kfouri: vice president of SBIm (Brazilian Society of Immunizations) and president of the immunization department of SBP (Brazilian Society of Pediatrics);
• Rosangela Lula da Silva – first lady of Brazil;
• Rosileia Maria de Souza – president of Lagoinha Quilombo Associationin the municipality of Gentio do Ouro (BA);
• Sirlene of Fatima Pereira – nurse working in National Immunization Program from the Health and Environmental Surveillance Secretariat of the Ministry of Health.

Read the list of honored institutions:

• ANF (Favela News Agency);
• Abrasco (Brazilian Association of Public Health);
• ABEn (Brazilian Nursing Association);
• Conacs (National Confederation of Community Health Agents);
• Unicef (United Nations Children’s Fund);
• ITPS (All for Health Institute);
• Oops (Pan American Health Organization);
• Rotary Club;
• SBP (Brazilian Society of Pediatrics);
• SBIm (Brazilian Society of Immunizations).