Santa Catarina recorded an increase in the number of people waiting for intensive care unit (ICU) beds to become vacant this Wednesday (8). The persistent overcrowding was the subject of a meeting between Governor Carlos Moises and Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga.

Gov. Carlos Moises has requested a “partnership” between the state and the Department of Health to provide new beds on a permanent basis – Photo: Ascom/HCPA/ND

According to the SES (Secretary of State for Health), 30 people from Santa Catarina are seeking a place in the public health system. Compared to the daily bulletin last Tuesday (7), the queue has increased by 11 people.

Eight patients are currently awaiting transfer to neonatal intensive care units, four of whom have respiratory problems.

Eight children are also waiting for a place in the pediatric intensive care unit. Among them, five are looking for respiratory diseases and three go to a specialized service for another disease.

In addition, 14 adults are awaiting treatment in specialized hospitals. Half of the calls are for patients with respiratory diseases.

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According to the SUS ICU Bed Dashboard updated last Tuesday evening (7), 97.63% of the state’s 1,056 active units were occupied, meaning only 25 were available for new patients.

In addition, the Grande Oeste and Foz do Rio Itajaí region was 100% full. It is worth noting that all regions were filled above 95%.

SUS bed occupancy rates in intensive care units, updated last Tuesday evening (7) – Photo: SES/Reprodução/ND

Santa Catarina has 178 active newborn care beds. Also, according to Tuesday evening’s update, only six units were available. Meanwhile, 96 pediatricians are busy and only one is ready to take on new patients.

The Santa Catarina Public Health Network has 781 active ICU beds for adult care. However, 18 were available, according to an update last Tuesday.

It is worth noting that Santa Catarina should open the situation room this week. In addition, SES plans to activate eight new pediatric and six neonatal middle intensive care beds in the coming days. And also 12 pediatric departments will be installed within 20 days.

Gov. Moises Meets Secretary of Health

Gov. Carlos Moises (Republicans) met with Health Secretary Marcelo Queiroga in Brasilia this Wednesday, and the topic of discussion was increased bed occupancy in intensive care units in Santa Catarina.

Carlos Moises (left), Marcelo Queiroga (center) and Aldo Baptista Neto (right) during a meeting in Brasilia – Photo: Peterson Paul/Secom/Disclosure/ND

Moises backed up a plan to open 77 new units, 20 of them in the next 10 days. In addition, Minister of Health Aldo Baptista Neto attended the meeting.

In addition, the governor of Santa Catarina requested a “partnership” from the Department of Health to permanently enable beds.

“We have already expanded the number of beds. For seasonal reasons, this was not enough. So we are adopting this new strategy with 77 new beds,” the governor said after the hearing.

At the time, Carlos Moises was also asking for help to send more specialists to the state to fight dengue.

“The dengue scenario today does not fit Santa Catarina. We have noticed a decrease in the number of technicians. We need to strengthen our mosquito control strategy. We are also working with municipalities to expand service offerings through partnerships. We want to co-finance,” the governor said.

Qualification processes for new specialties in the state’s hospitals, difficulties in acquiring some drugs, and increased communication between state and Union systems for data integration were also topics of the meeting between the Governor and Minister Keyroga.