Brazilian Air Force denied funding request for new aircraft in fight against pandemic

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The collapse in the Manaus health system at the start of the year triggered an alert in the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) concerning the need to purchase two aircraft to work in the fight against the pandemic. However, the Ministry of Economy rejected the request, which represented an increase in expenses.

The Ministry of Defense’s request for an extraordinary credit of R$500 (US$87) million was made in early February. The portfolio argued that it needed these aircraft to fly people and cargo as part of the fight against Covid-19.

In a technical note attached to the request, the Ministry of Defense highlights the role of the FAB in the Manaus crisis, in which it transported patients to other states and oxygen tanks to the capital of Amazonas. According to the portfolio, this situation “exponentially evidenced the FAB’s operational deficiency,” which prompted the request for funds to purchase the aircraft.

The note points out that the currently available aircraft have limited capacity to transport oxygen and patients.

“The occurrence of new logistical collapses in the health system of regions and municipalities with difficult access by land seems possible, although of unpredictable dimensions, and will demand immediate solutions from the Brazilian State. Moreover, there is no way to project or predict the evolution in the number of cases and the challenges that will arise in the near future because of “third and fourth waves” of pandemic infections, as well as the reinfection of Brazilians due to the spread of coronavirus variants. Thus, this whole scenario calls for an effective and urgent action of the State,” reads the Ministry’s technical note.

The funds would be allocated to larger aircraft, with capacity to carry between 240 and 600 oxygen cylinders, depending on the size, and up to 6 ICUs, 16 stretchers and 117 seats for medical staff and passengers or 130 stretchers and 96 seats.

FAB’s plan was to open a tender soon after the funds were released, with a 90-day deadline to sign a contract. The aircraft should then be delivered within 60 days.

Request denied

Despite the Defense’s arguments, the Ministry of Economy did not release the funds. The Board of Budget Implementation, the body defining the direction of fiscal policy, considered that the request did not meet the requirements of emergency, unpredictability and relevance provided in the Constitution for issuing the Provisional Measure that would release the extraordinary resources.

When approached, the Ministry of Economy confirmed the Board’s position.

Source: G1