Hélio de Oliveira Santos
Encyclopedia
Hélio de Oliveira Santos (b. September 7, 1950, Corumbá
, Mato Grosso do Sul
) is a physician
, graduated in the Medical School of the State University of Campinas and specialized in pediatrics
, federal representative, and was the mayor
of the municipality of Campinas
, state of São Paulo
, Brazil
, from January 2005 to September 2011, when he was impeached. He is affiliated with the Partido Democrático Trabalhista (PDT).
in 1970, Physiology
and Biophysics
in 1971, and Hemotherapy
in 1973. After obtaining his M.D.
in 1974, Santos became a medical resident at the same university, from 1974 to 1975. He specialized in neonatal care in the Unit of Intensive Neonatal Care at ISSTE, Mexico City
, in 1977. Upon returning to Brazil, Dr. Santos dedicated himself to pediatric care, research and teaching, especially pediatric surgery
, first at the Teaching Dept of the Hospital Infantil Álvaro Ribeiro in Campinas (1980–1986) and afterwards as a professor at the Medical School of the Pontificial Catholic University of Campinas (PUCCAMP), a position he held until 1989. He was also that school's dean from 1981 to 1984. In 1985, he attained a doctoral degree in outpatient pediatric surgery from the Medical School of the State University of Campinas. He did his postdoctoral studies abroad, at the Children's Memorial Hospital
of Chicago
, United States
. In 1988, he accepted an appointment as an associate professor of pediatrics at the same school.
He wrote seven books and hundreds of specialized papers, articles and columns in the general press. Among his works are a series of books on the plights of physical abuse
, rape
, accident
s and abandonment
of children, published between 1986 and 1995.
effort in Campinas county. On the basis of his work, he was appointed Municipal Secretary of Health of Hortolândia
, a city near Campinas (1993–1996) and Municipal Secretary of Health of Americana
(in 1997). He was elected a federal congressman by São Paulo
in 1999, and re-elected in 2003. His first attempt at winning a mayoral election was in 2001, but he lost to majority candidates Carlos Sampaio and Antonio Costa. In his second run, he was elected with 258,456 votes, 52.63% of all valid votes in Campinas, the second largest electoral college in the state. He is the first Afro-Brazilian
to be elected mayor of that city. In 2011, Dr. Santos was impeached from his position as mayor of Campinas, after a administrative process installed by the City Council, after accusations of fraud and money laundering.
Corumbá
Corumbá is a municipality in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, 425 km northwest of Campo Grande, the state's capital. It has a population of approximately 96,000 inhabitants, and its economy is based mainly on agriculture, animal husbandry, mineral extraction, and tourism, being the...
, Mato Grosso do Sul
Mato Grosso do Sul
Mato Grosso do Sul is one of the states of Brazil.Neighboring Brazilian states are Mato Grosso, Goiás, Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Paraná. It also borders the countries of Paraguay and Bolivia to the west. The economy of the state is largely based on agriculture and cattle-raising...
) is a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, graduated in the Medical School of the State University of Campinas and specialized in pediatrics
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
, federal representative, and was the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of the municipality of Campinas
Campinas
Campinas is a city and municipality located in the coastal interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. is the administrative center of the meso-region of the same name, with 3,783,597 inhabitants as of the 2010 Census, consisting of 49 cities....
, state of São Paulo
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, from January 2005 to September 2011, when he was impeached. He is affiliated with the Partido Democrático Trabalhista (PDT).
Medical and academic career
Dr. Santos began his academic career in 1970, while a student at the Medical School of the State University of Campinas, as a research and teaching assistant at the Laboratory of ParasitologyParasitology
Parasitology is the study of parasites, their hosts, and the relationship between them. As a biological discipline, the scope of parasitology is not determined by the organism or environment in question, but by their way of life...
in 1970, Physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
and Biophysics
Biophysics
Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physical science to study biological systems. Studies included under the branches of biophysics span all levels of biological organization, from the molecular scale to whole organisms and ecosystems...
in 1971, and Hemotherapy
Hemotherapy
Hemotherapy or hemotherapeutics is the treatment of disease by the use of blood or blood derivatives, as in transfusion.It includes various types of connected processes as, for example:*Blood partial transfusion;*Blood total transfusion;...
in 1973. After obtaining his M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
in 1974, Santos became a medical resident at the same university, from 1974 to 1975. He specialized in neonatal care in the Unit of Intensive Neonatal Care at ISSTE, Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, in 1977. Upon returning to Brazil, Dr. Santos dedicated himself to pediatric care, research and teaching, especially pediatric surgery
Pediatric surgery
Pediatric surgery or paediatric surgery is a subspecialty of surgery involving the surgery of fetuses, infants, children, adolescents, and young adults...
, first at the Teaching Dept of the Hospital Infantil Álvaro Ribeiro in Campinas (1980–1986) and afterwards as a professor at the Medical School of the Pontificial Catholic University of Campinas (PUCCAMP), a position he held until 1989. He was also that school's dean from 1981 to 1984. In 1985, he attained a doctoral degree in outpatient pediatric surgery from the Medical School of the State University of Campinas. He did his postdoctoral studies abroad, at the Children's Memorial Hospital
Children's Memorial Hospital
Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois is a pediatric hospital. The main hospital is located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood on the north side of the city. With more than 1,100 physicians on staff and approximately 4,000 employees, Children’s Memorial focuses on 70 specialties in 17...
of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1988, he accepted an appointment as an associate professor of pediatrics at the same school.
He wrote seven books and hundreds of specialized papers, articles and columns in the general press. Among his works are a series of books on the plights of physical abuse
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation, injury, or other physical suffering or bodily harm.-Forms of physical abuse:*Striking*Punching*Belting*Pushing, pulling*Slapping*Whipping*Striking with an object...
, rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
, accident
Accident
An accident or mishap is an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance, often with lack of intention or necessity. It implies a generally negative outcome which may have been avoided or prevented had circumstances leading up to the accident been recognized, and acted upon, prior to its...
s and abandonment
Abandonment
The term abandonment has a multitude of uses, legal and extra-legal. This "signpost article" provides a guide to the various legal and quasi-legal uses of the word and includes links to articles that deal with each of the distinct concepts at greater length...
of children, published between 1986 and 1995.
Political career
Dr. Santos became a public figure in the 1980s, when he founded and directed the Regional Center for Care of Maltreatment in Infancy (CRAMI - Centro Regional para a Atenção aos Maus Tratos na Infância), a highly praised philanthropicPhilanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
effort in Campinas county. On the basis of his work, he was appointed Municipal Secretary of Health of Hortolândia
Hortolândia
Hortolândia is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2008 is 201 049 and the area is 62,2 km². The elevation is 587 m....
, a city near Campinas (1993–1996) and Municipal Secretary of Health of Americana
Americana
Americana refers to artifacts, or a collection of artifacts, related to the history, geography, folklore and cultural heritage of the United States. Many kinds of material fall within the definition of Americana: paintings, prints and drawings; license plates or entire vehicles, household objects,...
(in 1997). He was elected a federal congressman by São Paulo
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
in 1999, and re-elected in 2003. His first attempt at winning a mayoral election was in 2001, but he lost to majority candidates Carlos Sampaio and Antonio Costa. In his second run, he was elected with 258,456 votes, 52.63% of all valid votes in Campinas, the second largest electoral college in the state. He is the first Afro-Brazilian
Afro-Brazilian
In Brazil, the term "preto" is one of the five categories used by the Brazilian Census, along with "branco" , "pardo" , "amarelo" and "indígena"...
to be elected mayor of that city. In 2011, Dr. Santos was impeached from his position as mayor of Campinas, after a administrative process installed by the City Council, after accusations of fraud and money laundering.
Works
- Cirurgia ambulatorial em pediatria. São Paulo: Panamed, 1986. 116 p.
- Crianças espancadas. Campinas: Papirus, 1987. 132 p.
- Crianças acidentadas. Campinas: Papirus, 1988. 91 p.
- Crianças violadas. Campinas: CBIA/CRAMI, 1991. 114 p.
- Crianças esquecidas. Campinas: Pontes, 1995.
External links
- Hélio de Oliveira Santos Biography. Federal Congress of Brazil (In Portuguese).