Dengue puts pressure on Rio Preto’s health units and the municipality investigates the doctors’ conduct

With 6,650 suspected cases, the city leads the register of the disease in the country

SÃO JOSÉ DO RIO PRETO – Cases of dengue they put pressure on the health units São José do Rio Preto (SP), leader in disease registries in the country. The city has 6,650 suspected cases of the disease and five deaths under investigation. The numbers correspond respectively to 19.55% and 10.2% of registrations in Sao Paulo, according to the Strategic health information center of the state government.

Waiting for service generates complaints and becomes the subject of an investigation at city hall. According to complaints received by the municipal administration, doctors committed irregularities in scheduling visits to emergency rooms (UPA).

Additionally, audio began circulating around town of an alleged doctor encouraging colleagues to treat fewer patients per hour. “Everybody just has to pitch in three times an hour, it doesn’t matter if they’re on the owl, if it’s early, if they have support, we let it build up, it becomes a snowball,” the recording says.

In a statement, the Doctors’ Union reported that it “continues to be attentive to the situation and reaffirms its commitment to defending the rights of medical professionals and the quality of services provided to the population”.

City Hall, in turn, said it is expanding assistance and investing in hiring professionals (more information below).

The journalist went to two services this Wednesday the 15th and listened to patients with different complaints. See some reports below.

UPA Jaguaré

Pedro da Costa, 70 years old, retired, stayed for three hours at the UPA Jaguaré (east area) to take the serum, but had to return in the afternoon because he was bleeding, one of the risks and major concerns of the disease. “Last Thursday he came to Jaguaré and stayed there for three hours. He left without being assisted,” said the elderly man’s daughter, administrative assistant Aparecida Carvalho, 37.

Seller Mirian Rodrigues, 18, felt ill during the night with vomiting and muscle pain and fainted three times. He arrived at UPA Jaguaré at 12.50pm and saw the doctor about 30 minutes later. The serum, however, was only administered at 4pm.

Alessandra Cristina Mariano, 48, had been waiting for almost two hours for her 21-year-old son to have an x-ray. The boy had been attacked and was suspected to have a broken nose. “Yesterday he went to UPA Northern Region, but the X-rays had already closed. He has an intellectual disability and is on the autistic spectrum. We had to leave from there because he can’t stand the people around him. They said priority, but they didn’t,” the housewife said.

Northern Region of the UPA

Student Davi de Seixas Pereira, 17, had been waiting for assistance at the UPA Northern Region for two hours. With symptoms of dengue, such as headaches and body aches, he had only been screened. “We are sad because we pay taxes,” said the teenager’s mother, hairdresser Débora de Seixas Silva, 46.

Edson Cândido da Silva, 47, spent nearly four hours in the same UPA seeking treatment. At the end of last year he had dengue fever and complained of headaches, sore throat and urine infections. “There was a day when I arrived at five in the afternoon and left at 11pm. It’s very difficult, there are so many sick people.”

Gilberto Carlos de Souza sells ice lollies in front of the ward and controls the flow of patients. “Here every day there are arguments due to the delay in service. The chaperone gets agitated seeing the bad person,” he said. “Just yesterday the guy laid down on the floor because the chairs were full. I ended up giving my chair to a patient. It’s sad.”

Damage to health

Maurício Lacerda Nogueira, virologist and professor at the Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto (Famerp), emphasizes that the treatment of patients suffering from dengue fever must be rapid. “People should be hydrated and get tested, if possible blood tests. Delaying treatment means delaying the start of therapy, and this can have negative results.”

Ulysses Strogoff de Matos, infectious disease doctor at the Hospital das Clínicas de Ribeirão Preto, linked to University of Sao Paulo (USP), they have the same concern. “Dengue is a disease for which there is no specific or antiviral treatment, it is a supportive treatment. A rapid diagnosis must be made to identify who needs hospitalization and who can go home.”

“If the person is not even evaluated, they could have a more serious condition, just look at the number of deaths in Brazil, which has been extremely high,” Matos added, referring to the more than 6,000 deaths due to the disease in 2024. In Rio Preto alone there have been 37,261 probable cases and 17 confirmed deaths.

According to the infectious disease specialist, the service in the city does not work quickly because it would be up to the basic health units to absorb mild cases. “The problem starts in primary care.”

What the Municipality says

In a statement, the municipal Health Department said it is expanding medical care for dengue patients, with an increase of 59 hospital beds in five institutions, so that transfers can be carried out more quickly.

This Wednesday, in Santa Casa alone, the main reference point for patients in Rio Preto in terms of number of visits, there were 28 adults hospitalized with dengue, three in intensive care, as well as five children. There were ten people at the municipal hospital. At the Base Hospital, which serves the entire region, there were 98 hospitalizations.

The municipality also informed that it had extended the opening hours of two UBS and telemedicineas well as hiring more professionals.

“We underline that the assistance provided by the Emergency Units (UPAS) follows the risk priority criteria, with immediate treatment of serious cases. For mild cases of illness, the population of Rio Preto can seek assistance in the basic health units and in telemedicine,” the file informed.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.