The WHO (World Health Organization) declared, last Saturday (23), a public health emergency of international concern due to the outbreak of monkeypox. Brazil has more than 800 confirmed cases of the disease, according to the Ministry of Health.
Worldwide, approximately 70 countries in which smallpox is not endemic have reported outbreaks, and confirmed cases exceed 17,800.
In an interview with CNN on Monday (25), infectious disease specialist Júlio Croda, from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), stated that the country should have an exponential increase in the number of monkeypox cases.
Monkeypox virus is transmitted from person to person by close contact with injuries, body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials such as bedding.
Symptoms of monkeypox include blisters on the face, hands, feet, eyes, mouth or genitals, fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches and muscle aches, and lack of energy.
The incubation period is usually 6 to 13 days, but can range from 5 to 21 days.
THE CNN asked the pre-candidates for the Presidency of the Republic what they think about the fight against monkeypox in Brazil.
Check out the answers below:
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT):
With Lula, Brazil will once again be a world reference in public health for international public health emergencies such as monkeypox. In the governments of President Lula, Brazil was a world reference in the fight against the H1N1 pandemic, in the fight against HIV/Aids, in the international public health emergencies that occurred in that period, such as avian flu, Sars, Ebola. It will recover the capacity to recover the coordination of the Ministry of Health, first in carrying out orientation campaigns to the population as a whole.
Until now, the Ministry of Health has not instructed the Brazilian population about monkeypox, its form of transmission, and the risks it may have. Although it is a less lethal disease than Covid-19, for example, it has risks in relation to people who are immunosuppressed, it has cases in children.
The Ministry of Health has not carried out any specific campaigns for what we call the key population who end up at greater risk of identifying monkeypox.
Furthermore, with Lula, the Ministry of Health will resume the strengthening of its surveillance system, not only for this public health emergency, but for other public health emergencies.
The Covid-19 pandemic has shown that the world is susceptible to new international public health emergencies and pandemics. Being prepared, with our surveillance system, strengthening testing capacity, strengthening research institutions, science, knowledge, is essential for the country not to have a new human tragedy in relation to any pandemic as happened with the pandemic of Covid-19.
Third, Brazil urgently needs to resume vaccination coverage goals, we need to have a president like the president has always done, who campaigns in favor of vaccination, who shows who gets the vaccine, who guides workers, health professionals to the vaccine , which mobilizes family health teams, community health agents, schools, society, institutions such as Rotary that have always been partners in vaccination so that we can achieve vaccination coverage goals again.
Bolsonaro, already in his first year of government, in 2019, reached the shameful situation of being the first time, in this century, that Brazil has not met the target of vaccination of children. This was repeated in 2020 and in 2021. Good health starts with prevention. One of the most important tools is exactly the vaccine and vaccination campaigns.
Jair Bolsonaro (PL):
The candidate did not respond at the time of publication.
Ciro Gomes (PDT):
The candidate did not respond at the time of publication.
Simone Tebet (MDB):
The pre-candidate did not respond at the time of publication.
André Janones (Avant):
The candidate did not respond at the time of publication.
Pablo Marcal (Pros):
This type of international alert is a WHO device applied only six times in history. The last time was in January 2020 when the coronavirus began to circulate outside China and that in itself demonstrates the seriousness of the current situation.
Despite the data we have so far indicate less potential for contagion and lethality in relation to the coronavirus, the total numbers with more than 16 thousand infected in 70 countries are worrying.
We already have more than 800 cases in Brazil, which shows that we are behind in the measures that can be adopted. We need rapid diagnosis, to identify and isolate those infected, in addition to tracking contacts to contain or reduce the rate of contagion.
We cannot polarize and politicize the issue again because lives are at stake. We cannot have denialism on either side, neither about the lethal potential of the disease, nor about the knowledge generated by the medical and scientific community. When it comes to health and safety, when lives are in danger, we have to see all Brazilians as people and not voters, because every life matters.
Felipe d’Avila (New):
The pre-candidate has not responded at the time of publication.
Jose Maria Eymael (DC):
Monkeypox is on the way to having a worldwide presence and it is up to Brazil to take a firm, comprehensive and dynamic position to face this coming epidemic.
I want to emphasize that for Christian Democracy smart health is fundamental, that is, prevention before illness.
In this fight against monkeypox, it is essential to value the great leaders of Brazil in the area of ​​health.
Leonardo Pericles (UP):
The candidate did not respond at the time of publication.
Luciano Bivar (Union Brazil):
The pre-candidate has not responded at the time of publication.
Sofia Manzano (PCB):
The pre-candidate did not respond at the time of publication.
Vera Lucia (PSTU):
The WHO, in addition to defining monkeypox as a global emergency, also warned that the situation in Brazil is worrying. The reasons are the lack of accurate tests and diagnoses, with a strong possibility of underreporting and a possible jump in the number of cases in a short time.
This is yet another confirmation of the Bolsonaro government’s irresponsibility with public health. While Minister Queiroga says that Brazil has done its homework, the reality is that cases are increasing. It is not true that we are prepared. This is because the SUS continues to be precarious by this government: there is a lack of funds, cuts in resources, privatization and even a lack of planning. Health lost 20% of its funds from 2021 to 2022.
As we have seen with the coronavirus, depending on the current government, unfortunately, it seems that we will be hostage to the virus that could be fought with the right measures. It is absurd that a country like ours, which has Fiocruz and the Butantan Institute, does not guarantee resources and the necessary research so that we are already producing a vaccine against this disease. Having to be held hostage by the international pharmaceutical industry to buy vaccines, which in the emergency situation we are in, we must buy as soon as possible.
We defend the return of investments in research and production of national vaccines as soon as possible.
Photos – The pre-candidates for the presidency
Source: CNN Brasil
