During an inspection at the Hospital de Base do Distrito Federal (HBDF), this Wednesday morning (8/11), the Commission for the Defense of Human Rights, Citizenship, Ethics and Parliamentary Decorum of the Legislative Chamber (CLDF) detected critical conditions in the unit health system managed by the Strategic Management Institute (Iges-DF).
The visit took place after the commission received several complaints about the situation there. Patients and relatives of hospitalized patients reported a lack of beds and basic supplies for activities. Furthermore, employees who came into contact with the collegiate criticized the working conditions at the health unit.
{{#values}}{{/values}}During the inspection, parliamentarians from the collegiate found patients hospitalized in corridors; infiltrations in the hospital kitchen; insufficient number of professionals to provide services in different sectors; and improvised beds in the emergency room, due to overcrowding.
With capacity for 71 patients, the HBDF Emergency had 178 patients admitted at the time of the visit. Another 17 people are waiting for a place to be transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU).
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Insufficient team
Even with the large number of people waiting for care and hospitalized patients, only three doctors worked during this morning’s shift, as well as 14 nurses. The hospital management added that, throughout the day, seven physiotherapists are available and three work at night.
The insufficient number of employees in the kitchen, according to the commission, has delayed feeding the entire hospital. The ideal would have been 249 professionals available, but only 153 were present. The inspection team also found a lot of dirt in the place, which recently underwent renovations, and leaks in the pantry – also renovated.
District deputy Fábio Felix (PSol) considered the kitchen renovation a palliative measure. “It was not officially delivered to the company [responsável pelas atividades]. Several areas of the renovation have deteriorated, broken, and there is a lack of professionals. There are about 100 fewer than needed for care,” he said.
In addition to the parliamentarian and other members of the collegiate, representatives of the Human Rights Commission of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) accompanied the visit. “We will produce a report on the situation, forward it to the Department of Health, to the management of Iges-DF and also to the Public Ministry. There is an urgent need for a solution to what is happening”, added the district.
“Reference Center”
In a statement, Iges-DF reported that HBDF is facing an overcrowding situation in the emergency room, with a significantly greater number of patients than the total capacity for care. “As it is an open-door hospital, it receives and welcomes every patient who seeks medical care. And, as it is a reference health center throughout the country, the sector has a high number of patients from the most diverse Brazilian states”, they explained.
In the text, the institute highlighted that it works to improve hospital conditions. “We recognize the inconveniences of overcrowding, the complexity of [do hospital] and we continue to seek management alternatives to improve the quality of service. We ask for the population’s understanding and reinforce our commitment to providing a dignified service to everyone who seeks out the HBDF”, he added.
O Metropolises also contacted the Federal District Health Department (SES-DF), but did not receive a response until the most recent update of this report. The space remains open for possible demonstrations.
