Reducing the waiting list for elective medical procedures, mainly surgeries, is the goal of the program of the Ministry of Health, presented by the federal government this Monday (6th) during an event in Rio de Janeiro. The ceremony was attended by Minister Nicia Trindade and President of the Republic Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Of the 600 million reais earmarked for the program, Santa Catarina is to receive 20 million reais.

The national program to reduce queues in the health sector includes an investment of 600 million Brazilian reais – Photo: SES/Disclosure/ND

The National Queue Reduction Program will receive an investment of 600 million reais, the value of which is provided for in the PEC (Proposal to Amend the Constitution) of the transitional period, which was approved by Congress at the end of last year. The PEC allowed the government to exceed the spending ceiling in order to pay the Bolsa Família worth BRL 600 in 2023 and other investments.

The total investment will be divided among the states. According to the Department of Health of Santa Catarina, the state will receive a transfer of 20 million reais, which, in addition to other resources, will be used for the state program of elective operations, presented this Monday (6) morning.

Of the estimated 600 million reais, 200 million reais will immediately be transferred to support the implementation of local plans that encourage the organization of rebellions throughout the country. So the goal is to speed up the queue. The remaining 400 million reais will be transferred depending on the number of transactions.

States will need to provide an overview of local demand for operations as well as a forecast for the implementation of the queuing reduction program in order to allow for the release of resources.

The program involves six federal hospitals and three national institutes (cancer, cardiology and trauma-orthopedics) in the city of Rio de Janeiro, as well as 41 university hospitals.

Santa Catarina

In Santa Catarina, the government went further and on Monday morning (6) launched the State Planned Operations Program to decentralize services and eliminate queues in six months. That is what Governor Jorginho Mello and Secretary of State for Health Carmem Zanotto promised.

There are currently 105,000 people awaiting surgery. From December 2021 to November 2022, there were 8,700 monthly appointments, according to a state government survey.

The greatest demand is for orthopedic and general surgeries such as knee, spine, gallbladder, kidney stone surgeries. But there is also a great demand for oncological procedures.

The funding sources for this program are the State Health Fund and the Charitable Hospitals Fund in the amount of 135 million reais. The government also has additional resources from the National Health Fund of about 70 million reais and resources from municipal funds of 30 million reais.

The goal is to complete 105 procedures in six months, but Santa Catarina Federation of Hospitals chief executive Braz Vieira said the initiative has everything it needs to succeed and that the hospital chain is “ready” for the demand.

*According to Agência Brasil.