RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A survey conducted by G1 news site shows that the demands in court for an ICU bed have increased fourfold over the past three months, largely due to the second wave of the pandemic in Brazil. In March, April and May 2021, 4,320 such lawsuits were filed in the country, compared to 1,052 in the same period in 2020.
Since the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic, 10,903 lawsuits have been brought in Brazilian courts seeking to guarantee access to ICU beds.
Of this total, at least 1,224 lawsuits refer specifically to Covid-19 patients. There is no consolidated national data with monthly reports. Therefore, G1 was required to collect data from courts in 26 states and the Federal District.
The states with the highest number of registered lawsuits are Rio de Janeiro (1,984), Ceará (1,556), Mato Grosso (1,390), Rio Grande do Sul (926) and São Paulo (709).
The data reflects the chaotic situation in the Brazilian health system. The latest Covid-19 Fiocruz Observatory report, released on Thursday, June 17, shows that ICU bed occupancy is at “critical” levels in 18 states and the Federal District. Only 2 states feature a “low” alert, while 6 states register “medium” alert.