Brazil’s “failed” response to Covid-19 has led the country to a “humanitarian catastrophe,” Doctors Without Borders said Thursday, accusing President Jair Bolsonaro’s government of further worsening the health crisis.
“The lack of political will to respond adequately to the pandemic is killing thousands of Brazilians,” the humanitarian group said in a statement.
The statement highlighted the deadly Covid-19 wave that has made Brazil the current epicenter of the pandemic.
Brazil’s “failed” response to Covid-19 has led the country to a “humanitarian catastrophe,” Doctors Without Borders said Thursday (pictured, cemetery workers among the coffin of a Covid-19 victim)
The humanitarian organization has blamed President Bolsonaro for not responding properly to the virus, which he described as “little flu”.
In all, the disease has caused more than 385,000 lives in Brazil, just after the United States alone
Last week, the country of 212 million people accounted for 11% of infections and 26.2% of deaths from Covid-19 worldwide, Doctors Without Borders said
Last week, the country of 212 million people accounted for 11% of infections and 26.2% of deaths from Covid-19 worldwide, the group said.
In all, the disease has caused more than 385,000 lives in Brazil, just after the United States alone.
“These staggering figures are clear evidence of the authorities’ failure to manage the country’s health and humanitarian crises and the protection of Brazilians, especially the most vulnerable, ”he said.
Bolsonaro has long downplayed the pandemic and challenged expert advice on measures to contain it, leaving state and local authorities to implement a messy mosaic of response measures.
Last week, the country of 212 million people accounted for 11% of infections and 26.2% of deaths from Covid-19 worldwide, according to the group.
Bolsonaro has long downplayed the pandemic and challenged expert advice on measures to contain it, leaving state and local authorities to implement a disorderly mosaic of response measures.
Bolsonaro has long downplayed the pandemic and challenged expert advice on measures to contain it, leaving state and local authorities to implement a disorderly mosaic of response measures.
Doctors Without Borders said the lack of an “effective, centralized and coordinated” response exacerbated the crisis.
“Public health measures have become a political battleground in Brazil,” said Christos Christou, chairman of the group, which is sometimes referred to by its French acronym MSF.
“As a result, science-based policies are associated with political opinions, rather than the need to protect individuals and their communities.”
The statement came two days after the Brazilian Senate initiated a committee of inquiry into the management of the pandemic by Bolsonaro.
Doctors Without Borders condemned the lack of masks and social distancing in Brazil, which has been “shunned and politicized” even when Bolsonaro and his allies recommended drugs such as the hydroxychlorin anti-malarial drug, despite studies documenting its ineffectiveness against Covid-19.
“Feeding disease and death in Brazil is the overwhelming amount of misinformation,” he said. He also condemned the country’s ‘mid-speed’ vaccination campaign.
The organization, which has been operating in Brazil since 1991, has deployed medical teams in eight of the 27 Brazilian states to respond to the pandemic.
The outbreak is pushing hospitals to the breaking point, with many patients dying before the bed of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is available.
Currently, the capacity of the ICU is around 80% in all 27 regions of Brazil.
In addition, more than 50% of intensive care beds are currently occupied by patients under the age of 40, according to a study published over the weekend by the Brazilian Association of Intensive Care Medicine.
The outbreak is pushing hospitals to the point of rupture, with many patients dying before an Intensive Care Unit bed is available (pictured, a field hospital in Santo Andre)
Currently, more than 50% of intensive care beds are occupied by patients under the age of 40, according to a study published by the Brazilian Association of Intensive Care Medicine.
It is unclear why more young people fall seriously ill during the current wave of the virus in Brazil, but some scientists think the new P1 variant could be to blame at least in part (pictured, graves recently dug in a cemetery). Brasilia, Brazil)
The new statistic represents a jump of 16.5% compared to the employment of this age group between December and February. The report is based on data from more than a third of all intensive care units in the country.
It is unclear why more young people fall seriously ill during the current wave of the virus in Brazil, but some scientists think the new P1 variant that originated in the Amazonian city of Manaus could be to blame at least in part.
Other factors, such as the behavior of younger people who might feel less concerned about going out and socializing, and the vaccination of older people, could also influence the data.
However, Brazil’s vaccination program has been painfully slow and only 3% of the population, approximately 6.3 million people, have received both blows.
According to the country’s health ministry, an additional 21.1 million have received a vaccine. But at least 1.5 million of them have delayed their second coup and there has been no explanation for the government’s delay.
Bolsonaro has widely criticized his approach to coronavirus, which he has described as a “little flu”.
He has repeatedly ignored calls from health experts to put on masks and has refused against the use of blocking measures.
An investigation into the government’s pandemic response began on Tuesday after a Supreme Court judge ruled last week that there were enough senators to support the investigation.
Congressional investigation, known by its Portuguese acronym as IPC, can lead to a number of actions, including the derivation of possible violations by law enforcement.
An investigation into the response to the Bolsonaro pandemic began on Tuesday after a Supreme Court judge ruled last week that there were enough senators to support the investigation.