Chamber approves honorary citizenship title for Dr. Aiex, psychiatrist in Foz do Iguaçu

Graduated in Medicine from the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) almost 50 years ago, José Elias Aiex Neto, Dr. Aiex, made public health more than a profession, but a life cause. This trajectory is recognized with the title of Honorary Citizen of Foz do Iguaçu, unanimously approved by the City Council this Thursday, 9th.

Watch Dr. Aiex's interview on the Marco Zero program, about the book “Barbárie Consentida”:

A civil servant from Iguaçu since the 1990s, he was the municipal secretary of Health and Anti-Drugs. He presided over the Medical Association of Paraná and the municipal councils of Health and Anti-Drugs. He has been recognized for his work in mental health programs, which helped to expand this type of care, especially for the most popular classes, which were previously inaccessible due to cost.

In its justification for granting honorary citizenship, the Legislature states that Dr. Aiex is an “uncompromising defender of social control of public policies,” which has resulted in his participation in national and international conferences. The health professional “stood out for his broad work in mental health, with an emphasis on protection, promotion, prevention and health care,” the Chamber emphasizes.

He was responsible for and taught at the psychiatry residency in Foz do Iguaçu, as a result of an agreement with the Ministry of Education (MEC). His intellectual output includes the publication of six books, articles and notes in regional and national newspapers and magazines, in which Dr. Aiex problematizes and denounces, based on scientific rigor, the relationship between social inequality and illness.

Active in society, he is one of the founders and also chaired the Foz do Iguaçu Human Rights Center, a civil association in which he is still active today. In this field, among other approaches, he contributes by promoting the understanding and search for alternatives on how certain work relationships affect the mental health of workers.

“Utopia of a better city”

In 2015, José Elias Aiex Neto was honored by the City Council with a motion of applause for his more than 20 years of service and dedication to the health of Foz do Iguaçu, recorded during that period. On that occasion, he defended humanization and the right to health care for the population, and called for political action to ensure adequate funding.

He spoke of his dream as a professional and citizen. “My great utopia is to live in a better country, in a better city. The health reform movement that I participated in is still under construction, because the SUS is not a finished system,” he said at the time. “I want to believe that we will have in Foz a model for mental health for Brazil,” declared Dr. Aiex, demonstrating what has driven him over the decades.

Political agent

The psychiatrist also has a political presence in Foz do Iguaçu, having been a member of political parties such as the PT, Psol and PDT, and running for elected office. In a book he co-authored, he recounted his experience as a coordinator of the “Frentona”, a consortium of 18 political parties that defeated the “Família Silva” in 2004, a traditional local political group, which led to Paulo Mac Donald Ghisi becoming mayor, with whom Aiex later broke off.

Running for mayor in 2012 against Chico Brasileiro, who at the time was a member of the PCdoB and represented continuity, Dr. Aiex starred in emblematic moments during the televised debates. The doctor clashed with Brasileiro mainly on issues related to the functioning and quality of public health in Foz do Iguaçu, listing the real problems faced by users.

Honorary citizenship

The title of honorary citizen is granted in Foz do Iguaçu by means of a legislative decree approved by the City Council. It is granted to people “with an unblemished reputation and impeccable personal and professional conduct who have rendered relevant services to the city”. The honorary title can also be granted to those who have worked “in various fields of human knowledge” and have earned it as a source of honor for the population.

The proposal for honorary citizenship to Dr. Aiex is supported by 13 council members from Iguaçu (Adnan El Sayed, Alex Meyer, Anice Gazzaoui, Cabo Cassol, Edivaldo Alcântara, Galhardo, Jairo Cardoso, João Morales, Kalito Stoeckl, Marcio Rosa, Ney Patrício, Rogério Quadros and Yasmin Hachem). In the vote, on Thursday morning, the matter received all 15 votes. Now, the board of directors and the technical team of the Legislative will schedule the date and the ceremony for the presentation of the seal, in an event open to the community.