Maranhão launches pact to combat death under-registration

The Corregedoria Geral do Foro Extrajudicial do Maranhão (COGEX) has launched a mobilization to combat the under-registration of deaths in the state of Maranhão. Through the Interinstitutional Pact to Combat Death Under-registration, several entities signed a cooperation agreement to ensure deaths are recorded in notary offices within the 24-hour period required by the Public Records Law.

Data from the IBGE indicates that Maranhão has a rate of 24.48% for burials that are not officially registered, significantly higher than the national average of 3.40%. The initiative involves the Public Ministry of Maranhão, the Public Defender's Office, the National Social Security Institute, the Brazilian Bar Association, and other regional associations.

The integrated work will begin in Junco do Maranhão, which has a 73.5% under-registration rate, followed by Boa Vista do Gurupi, which reports a rate of 51.67%. Each participating agency will act within its functional competence to improve registration procedures and oversight.