Interprofessional education in indigenous health

: the experience of the “Huka Katu” Project - FORP-USP in Xingu

Abstract

To achieve the principles of the Sistema Único de Saúde, it is necessary to improve health professionals’ education who are integrated into the health network and who recognize the need for different Brazilian realities, such as indigenous peoples’ health care. The objective is to present an experience report for the reorientation of the educational model prioritizing the teaching-service-community integration and the contribution of the Ribeirão Preto School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, to the implementation of Public Education and Health Policies, exploring its interface with the National Health Care Policy for Indigenous Peoples and the National Oral Health Policy. The education actions proposed in the “Huka Katu” Project involve the reorientation of the training and assistance model to the community. The preparatory and operational stages are developed in the open elective courses - Oral Health Care in Indigenous Populations I and II. During COVID-19 pandemic, Course I was carried out in a virtual environment using active teaching-learning methodologies and an approach to intercultural care. Course II is developed in the context of primary care in the villages of the Xingu Indigenous Park, with emphasis on comprehensive health care and learning through the experience of working in indigenous health, together with multidisciplinary teams. The Project has contributed to the training of health professionals for collaborative teamwork, with graduates directly involved in health care or management in the indigenous health subsystem.