A hanseníase no Amazonas: Política e institucionalização de uma doença

Abstract

This article discusses the historical aspects of the policies for controlling Hansen’s disease in the state of Amazonas from the second half of the nineteenth century until the dismantling of this model in 1978. We present the historical changes in the local institutions and policies, and their relationship with national policies. The history and policies related to Hansen’s disease in the state of Amazonas are analyzed through the following institutions: Umirisal, the Oswaldo Cruz Dispensary, the Paricatuba Leprosarium, the Antônio Aleixo Colony, and the Gustavo Capanema Preventorium. We seek to show that these institutions cared for the people who suffered from Hansen’s disease and those related to them, and were also responsible for carrying out the policies for fighting and controlling the disease.