President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and Health Minister Nísia Trindade were in Rio de Janeiro this Monday (6th) to launch the National Policy for Reducing Queues for Elective Surgery. They also participated in the inauguration, held by Mayor Eduardo Paes (PSD), of the ophthalmology and diagnostic units of the Super Centro Carioca de Saúde, located in Benfica, in the North zone of Rio de Janeiro.
The queue reduction program involves transferring BRL 600 million to states and municipalities in the first phase. Lula pointed out that reducing the SUS queue for specialties is one of the priorities of the Ministry of Health in the first 100 days of government. The event was attended by former municipal health secretary, now federal deputy, Daniel Soranz (PSD) and governor Claudio Castro (PL).
The demand for specialized care was remembered as an old drama for cariocas by Mayor Eduardo Paes (PSD). “We see our expectations met when president Lula chooses the city of Rio as his first voluntary official visit and launches a support program for city halls and governments to put an end to this Brazilian drama, especially in Rio de Janeiro”, said the mayor.
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The complex inaugurated in Benfica is the largest structure in this sector in the municipality, with capacity for 113,000 tests, consultations and procedures per month by the Unified Health System (SUS). According to the City Hall of Rio, the objective of the unit is to eliminate the queue of the Regulation System (Sisreg), today with 150 thousand people waiting for procedures and specialized consultations. The expectation is that the new structure serves 35,000 people per month and the waiting time will be a maximum of 30 days.
At the event, Lula delivered the first pair of eyeglasses from Centro Carioca do Olho (CCO) to an 8-year-old girl. In addition to optics, which will offer complete glasses, patients will also be able to count on cornea transplant surgery later this year.
“When you see a child receiving free glasses, offered by SUS, by the city hall, it is a demonstration that this country can be different. who can now operate here for free and see again. More important is knowing that all this is done by our dear SUS”, said Lula.
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Finally, Lula made an appeal for mothers, fathers and guardians to engage in the vaccination campaign to be launched this month. “For the love of God, we cannot be ignorant to the point of thinking that it is not worth taking the vaccine. The Zé Gotinha campaign is about to start, we cannot hesitate. That is why Bolsa Família is returning with the children’s condition being in school, being vaccinated”, concluded the president.
The Super Centro Carioca de Saúde will be open from Monday to Friday, from 7 am to 10 pm, and on Saturdays, from 8 am to 5 pm. The address is Rua General Gustavo Cordeiro de Farias 545, in Benfica, in the north zone.
Source: BdF Rio de Janeiro
Editing: Mariana Pitasse
