By Brennan Stark, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Doctors and hospital staff at Jacarepaguá’s Federal Hospital Cardoso Fontes have announced they will strike beginning this Monday, October 24th. Protesting against the overburdening they inherit from the hospital’s lack of available physicians, the doctors and staff hope to cripple what little functionality the hospital still retains until more resources are allocated.
An inspection on Thursday, October 20th by the Health Commission of the City Council found six major sectors of the hospital closed due to a shortage of health professionals.
The survey found a well-equipped and much-needed children’s emergency room had been closed since September 30th due to a lack of pediatricians.
Six of the seven available operating rooms were also shuttered, as well as the cardiology ward and the coronary unit, which now houses 27 atrophying drug infusion pumps.
According to president of Health Committee Councilman Carlos Eduardo, the pediatric sector alone could potentially treat as many as 600 children when fully operational. Directors of the hospital estimated that they would need 39 additional pediatricians to reach this capacity.
The hospital, which lies along the Grajaú-Jacarepaguá highway in the Zona Oeste (West Zone), an important area for the 2016 Olympic Games, has typically cared for favela residents and those unable to afford other healthcare.
Read more (in Portuguese).
* The Rio Times Daily Update is a new feature we are offering to help keep you up-to-date with major news as it happens.