São Paulo State Projects 220,000 Coronavirus Cases

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – The government of the state of São Paulo projects 220,000 cases of the novel coronavirus and is preparing to request a US$100 million (R$500 million) loan from the World Bank for measures to tackle the disease.

The main goal of the project is the installation and payment of at least 500 new ICU beds. The project also aims to purchase diagnostic tests and develop remote-medicine technology and mobile device Apps.

The state Health Secretariat estimates that at least R$1.2 billion extra will be required to tackle the disease, which renders World Bank funding “very significant,” says Ricardo Tardelli, the coordinator of Health Services in São Paulo. João Doria’s government expects to have the funds available in approximately two months.

The amount can also be used to cover expenses already incurred against the novel coronavirus. The loan term is expected to be 35 years. The government’s contribution is US$25 million, which means the project totals approximately US$125 million (more than R$625 million).

São Paulo is the epicenter of the novel coronavirus in Brazil. According to Saturday’s balance report, 4,466 cases and 260 deaths have been reported in the state. The region also accounts for 48 percent of hospitalizations for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in the country this year. The data point to a large number of cases of Covid-19 not yet identified, as there is an explosion of “severe flu” in Brazil as of mid-March over the same period last year.

In the project, the state government projects that 40,000 patients would be hospitalized during the pandemic. Another 11,000 would present more severe cases, requiring ICU care.

“When we drafted the project 10 days ago, the projection was something in that range (220,000 cases). We will need to wait, to observe the impact of isolation in São Paulo. It is a positive prospect”, said Tardelli.

The State has 15,000 public and private ICU beds, 7,200 of them destined to the National Health System (SUS). “We know that out of the 3,600 adult ICU beds available to the population, the occupation rate is between 85 and 90 percent. Based on this information, expanding the ICU beds is considered indispensable for the fight against Covid-19,” said Doria’s government in a letter sent to the Ministry of Economy on Monday, March 30th.

In the document, São Paulo expects the installation of 500 beds, but Tardelli claims that the Health Secretariat is working on adding up to 1500 hospitalization beds. The plan is to buy a ventilator for each bed, at R$70,000 per unit, in addition to other intensive care hospital equipment. Training 2,000 professionals from the public health network in infection prevention is also planned.

In the second stage of the program, after overcoming the pandemic, the goal is to invest in technological innovation, with the production of vaccines and “Big Data” tools, electronic medical records and remote medical care.

The Federal Council of Medicine (CFM) released remote medical care only for the pandemic period. However, Tardelli says he hopes that the technology will continue even after the disease crisis.

“We are also thinking of increasing these communication tools with the public. Cell phone Apps may remain in use in the future, serving people with chronic diseases, among others,” said Tardelli.

Funding

The World Bank announced a US$12 billion program in early March to support countries’ efforts to fight the pandemic.

The Ministry of Health is also seeking to close a US$100 million loan with the institution. Some US$60 million would be used to recruit health professionals. The portfolio also aims to procure diagnostic tests and develop remote medical care with this resource.

Source: InfoMoney