About 280 doctors and nurses will be hired as an emergency by the city of São Paulo while there is still high demand in health units in the capital. The measure intends to guarantee service to the population amid the significant increase in the number of patients with respiratory symptoms in recent days.
In November, the Municipal Health Department recorded a total of 111,949 visits to people with flu-like symptoms, 56,220 of which were suspected of Covid-19. This month, up to Monday (20), the total was 156,629 calls of this type, with 73,718 suspected of Covid-19.
read more:
The professionals will reinforce the care teams of the AMAs (Ambulatory Medical Assistance) and of all 19 UPAs (Emergency Care Units) in the city, where tents will also be installed to screen citizens with flu symptoms.
The screening aims to identify if there are cases of Covid-19 and, in this way, ensure the appropriate referral of flu cases and avoid crowding in health facilities.
Other actions were taken in an attempt to minimize impacts on the population. The Hospital da Brasilândia was referred for cases of respiratory syndromes, which will allow the municipality to carry out a viral panel and identify the viruses circulating in the city.
Since the last day 18, patients diagnosed with respiratory syndromes and requiring hospitalization are already being transferred to Brasilândia. Of the 406 beds, 258, being 158 in the ward and 100 in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit), were intended for the purpose.
The city also informed the emergency purchase of medicines to meet the increased demand.
According to the municipal secretary of Health, Edson Aparecido, measures were taken not to compromise consultations, exams and elective surgeries in the municipal network. “We have to maintain the regular routine of care, we cannot suddenly suspend. At the same time, today we have a high demand at the doors of our units”, he justified.
Last week, the secretariat asked the Ministry of Health for more doses of the vaccine against the influenza virus, which causes the flu. This year, about 4.5 million people received the immunizing agent in the city of São Paulo.
