A chef in the interior of São Paulo state is battling more than just cancer. Carlos Espindola, diagnosed with intestinal cancer, faces excruciating pain and constant bleeding that have forced him to stop working. The critical challenge? Accessing a basic diagnostic scan through the public health system.
The tomography equipment at Santa Casa de Araras has been out of service for two months. This breakdown has created a major hurdle for Espindola and other patients who depend on the public healthcare network. The chef described his ordeal, explaining that the pain and bleeding make it impossible to perform his duties in a kitchen environment.
After experiencing abdominal pain, Espindola sought public healthcare in August of last year. Following a series of tests, he received his cancer diagnosis. The ongoing bleeding has not only halted his career but also complicated his treatment pathway. A crucial step for starting his radiotherapy is a tomography scan, which he cannot get locally.
Faced with this barrier, Espindola's family turned to the private sector. They paid approximately R$200 for the scan and face specialist costs exceeding R$3,000. His situation highlights a broader issue, as other patients have launched online fundraising campaigns to cover the cost of private exams.
The hospital administration, Santa Casa de Araras, issued a statement. They claimed there is no need for patients to resort to fundraising for tomography scans. According to the hospital, oncology patients requiring the exam as part of their treatment protocol are being given priority. The municipal health secretariat's social assistance team is reportedly directing them to contracted services in other locations.
This incident is not an isolated complaint about the facility's conditions. In April, patients and families publicly denounced a lack of basic infrastructure at Santa Casa. In response, the local government announced a R$14 million investment plan for the year to improve the health system, including expanding ICU bed capacity.
Espindola himself pointed to the hospital's poor conditions, noting a lack of even basic supplies like toilet paper in the bathrooms. His oncologist suggested that radiotherapy might eventually stop the bleeding, but the immediate future remains uncertain. "How am I supposed to manage until those first sessions begin?" he questioned, underscoring the desperate wait for treatment.
Based on reporting from g1.