News reporter: Thallysson Alves
Photographic Reporter: Thallysson Alves
A few years ago, residents of Maceió, the metropolitan region, the coast and Zona da Mata only resorted to the State General Hospital (HGE) when they needed care in urgent and emergency areas. However, the care profile of patients changed after the implementation of Emergency Care Units (UPAs).
According to the medical director of HGE, Ricardo Calado. the hospital remains open 24 hours a day, from Sunday to Sunday, providing assistance to all cases related to trauma and pediatric care. This way, anyone who suffers a traffic accident, for example, can be taken directly to the unit.
Ricardo Calado points out, however, that in more serious cases, it is recommended to protect the person and call for rescue from the Mobile Emergency Care Service (Samu) or the Alagoas Military Fire Department (CBM/AL), when there are prisoners in hardware, at risk of fire or in a place that is difficult to access.
For other health problems, such as viral diseases such as Influenza and Covid-19, UPAs have been very useful. “In cases of blood pressure disorders; superficial cuts; discomfort caused by chronic diseases, such as diabetes; in addition to suspected cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and heart attack; convulsive crises; constant vomiting and severe chest pain, UPAs should be sought”, says the doctor.
“For this reason, the UPAs are equipped with X-ray equipment, carry out electrocardiograms, laboratory tests and have clinical beds, where it is possible to stabilize the clinical condition of patients and detail the diagnosis of the health problem presented. From this, experts analyze whether it is necessary to refer the patient to a hospital or keep him under observation and, later, release him to receive elective assistance”, explains Ricardo Calado.
This means, according to him, that the UPAs absorbed a large part of the demands that previously migrated to the HGE, which facilitated assistance to the population, which now has new assistance units, streamlining assistance. “Now, everyone knows that if they go to the UPAs closest to where they live, they will find care and, if they need it, they will be referred to reference services, like HGE itself. And even so, for those who come to HGE and do not have the recommended care profile, the screening sector evaluates and guides the search for the reference unit”, he informs.
Network
Of the seven UPAs that operate in Maceió, five are maintained exclusively by the State Government (Cidade Universitária, Chã da Jaqueira, Tabuleiro do Martins, Jacintinho and Jaraguá) and two are managed by municipal management (Benedito Bentes and Trapiche), “With this , the population must be attentive when seeking assistance to go to the appropriate location, with the assistance profile for the health problem presented, avoiding inconvenience, loss of time and, thus, speeding up care to remedy the situation presented.
In addition to HGE, the Hospital Network managed by Sesau is made up of nine other hospitals and three Mixed Units, installed in different Health Regions, in full operation in the cities of Arapiraca, Rio Largo, União dos Palmares, Piranhas, Água Branca, Delmiro Gouveia and Porto Calvo. The care network is being expanded, with the construction of the Médio Sertão Regional Hospital (HRMS), in Palmeira dos Índios, which will be a reference for eight municipalities in the Alagoas countryside.
