Senate Committee Approves Wadih Damous to Preside Over ANS

The Senate Social Affairs Committee unanimously approved on Wednesday, the 13th, the nomination of lawyer and former federal deputy Wadih Damous (Workers' Party) for the position of CEO of the National Supplementary Health Agency (ANS), responsible for overseeing health plans. The Senate's full approval is pending, and a vote is scheduled for later this Wednesday.

If approved, Damous will occupy the seat vacated by Paulo Rebello Filho and will have a five-year term, with no possibility of reappointment.

The Workers' Party member presided over the Brazilian Bar Association in Rio de Janeiro and served in the Chamber of Deputies from 2015 to 2018. He was a key member of Dilma Rousseff's (Workers' Party) legal shock troops during the impeachment proceedings. He currently serves as the National Consumer Affairs Secretary at the Ministry of Justice.

Leandro Safatle was also interviewed and approved by the Social Affairs Committee to head the National Health Surveillance Agency , and Daniela Marreco Cerceira and Thiago Lopes Cardoso to serve on the agency's board. Following the Senate plenary vote, President Lula (Workers' Party) is expected to appoint them in a publication in the Official Gazette.

Safatle—who received 19 votes in favor, one against, and one abstention—has a degree in Economics from the University of Brasília and has worked at the Ministry of Health and at Anvisa itself. Cerqueira, in turn, earned a degree in Biological Sciences and a PhD in Molecular Biology from the same institution. She has also been a member of Anvisa since 2006—she received 20 votes.

Thiago Campos—approved by the board by a vote of 19 to 1, with one abstention—is a lawyer and specialist in health law. He currently coordinates the Legal Consulting Department of the Brazilian Hospital Services Company.

The CAS also read the report on the nomination of Lenise Barcellos Secchin for another ANS board position. The hearings were stalled in the Senate, amid a tug-of-war between President Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP) and Minister of Mines and Energy Alexandre Silveira over nominations for positions at the National Electric Energy Agency and the National Petroleum and Natural Gas Agency.

In July, Alcolumbre announced that the hearings would take place in August, after agreements were reached for Lula to choose some names supported by the Senate leadership, such as Lenise.