Brazil is one of the countries most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, caused mainly by in taking preventative measures, social-distancing, compulsory use of protective equipment and the distribution of vaccines.
The region of Parà, which is the focus of the medical assistance project, was already in an extremely vulnerable situation before the Covid-19 pandemic, with a weak economy based on agriculture, fishing and a number of extractive industries.
In recent years, agriculture and fishing have also suffered serious losses due to severe flooding resulting from climate change.
In the city of Óbidos, the river hospital Barco Hospital Papa Francisco has been in operation since August 2019. It is managed by the Associação Lar São Francisco de Assis na Providencia de Deus. The hospital-boat provides health care for around 700,000 people who cannot access other forms of treatment and cannot reach hospitals.
With this project we want to support the hospital boat in distributing Covid kits for hygiene and to prevent the spread of the virus, protective equipment and to assist with treatment during and after the illness, basic food aid for the most isolated indigenous populations living along the banks of the River Amazon.
The vaccine distribution programme will begin when local regulations permit.
The project is part of the “A vaccine for all #Daretocare” campaign.
The cost of the first phase of the project was covered with donations. The remaining funds and those that are being raised will be used for similar actions dedicated to the prevention and care of Covid-19 for other vulnerable communities.
In the city of Óbidos, in the Amazon region of Pará (Brazil) the river hospital Barco Hospital Papa Francisco has been in operation since August 2019, serving more than 1,000 communities along the Amazon River. The hospital-boat provides healthcare to around 700,000 people who cannot access other forms of treatment and cannot reach hospitals.
Doctors and nurses, staff and volunteers are on board the “Barco Hospital”, which is equipped with an intensive care unit, pulmonary ventilators, ultrasound scanners, electro-medical equipment, clinical and dental surgeries, hospital beds, a surgery and surgical inpatient beds, a sterilisation room, a pharmacy, a laboratory, and a radiography, mammography and ultrasound room.
The boat hospital is managed by Associação Lar São Francisco de Assis na Providencia de Deus
The project includes the following support activities:
A medical assistance programme, in collaboration with the hospital boats already operating:
- orientation and awareness-raising activities with regard to hygiene, social distancing;
- delivery of protective and hygienic packs containing masks, alcohol-based sanitising gel, disinfectant, soap and other items for care and hygiene.
Protective equipment for people dedicated to providing care and visiting members of the community will also be provided.
The estimated cost of each pack is € 15.11.
A programme providing help and support to the most vulnerable families:
- Distribution of baskets with food and other basic necessities such as rice, vegetable oil, beans, sugar, pasta, powdered milk, flours, salt, coffee and other foods, personal hygiene and disinfection products.
The average cost of each unit is estimated at € 17.31 according to the needs identified by local leaders and agents in the community.