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Source: https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m1597
The Brazilian slums hiring their own doctors to fight covid-19
BMJ 2020; 369 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1597 (Published 22 April 2020) Cite this as: BMJ 2020;369:m1597
In the absence of help from public authorities, the residents of one of Brazil’s largest slums are mobilising themselves to contain the spread of covid-19, writes Rodrigo de Oliveira Andrade
Like many people around the world just now, those living in the S?o Paulo neighbourhood of Parais?polis are terrified of covid-19. But, with a national president in denial of the pandemic and authorities that would rather forget that the slums even exist, these residents couldn’t wait for help. So, in March 2020, together with a non-profit organisation, they decided to help themselves.
They hired a private medical service with three ambulances equipped with an intensive care unit, as well as two doctors, two nurses, drivers, and first aid workers. The medical team takes turns on 24 hour shifts to attend to people with suspected coronavirus infection, to help stop the spread.
“We knew that slums would be hit the worst as Brazil started registering the first cases of covid-19,” says Daniel Cavaretti, national coordinator of G10 Favelas, a joint project involving community leaders from several slums in Brazil. “We feared that people would despair and run to hospitals and local health centres, which are not prepared for it.”
The most vulnerable...
The Brazilian slums hiring their own doctors to fight covid-19
BMJ 2020; 369 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1597 (Published 22 April 2020) Cite this as: BMJ 2020;369:m1597
- Rodrigo de Oliveira Andrade
In the absence of help from public authorities, the residents of one of Brazil’s largest slums are mobilising themselves to contain the spread of covid-19, writes Rodrigo de Oliveira Andrade
Like many people around the world just now, those living in the S?o Paulo neighbourhood of Parais?polis are terrified of covid-19. But, with a national president in denial of the pandemic and authorities that would rather forget that the slums even exist, these residents couldn’t wait for help. So, in March 2020, together with a non-profit organisation, they decided to help themselves.
They hired a private medical service with three ambulances equipped with an intensive care unit, as well as two doctors, two nurses, drivers, and first aid workers. The medical team takes turns on 24 hour shifts to attend to people with suspected coronavirus infection, to help stop the spread.
“We knew that slums would be hit the worst as Brazil started registering the first cases of covid-19,” says Daniel Cavaretti, national coordinator of G10 Favelas, a joint project involving community leaders from several slums in Brazil. “We feared that people would despair and run to hospitals and local health centres, which are not prepared for it.”
The most vulnerable...