Countryside and Outskirts of Cities in Brazil Should Receive Foreign Doctors in September

07/09/2013 - 08h48

Brazil's government plans to assign the first Brazilian and foreign doctors who will join the new program for posting such professionals to municipalities in the interior and at the periphery of large cities, as soon as September.

An announcement will be made today aimed at doctors of all nationalities. Priority will be given to those trained in Brazil. Following them, Brazilians trained abroad will be called. The last will be foreigners.

The program was launched yesterday by President Dilma Rousseff. She said the goal is "to accelerate solutions" and "seek new paths."

The president argued that "you can not force a doctor who lives in the capital to go to the countryside." "But we honestly have to admit that something must be done so that all Brazilians have the right to a doctor."

The government will pay doctors a monthly stipend of R$10,000, and assistance in a single payment of R$10,000 to R$30,000 (US$ 4,400 to US$ 13,200), depending on the destination.

Priority will be given to the capitals, metropolitan areas with areas of vulnerability, indigenous districts and municipalities with the highest concentration of poverty.

The total number of professionals called will depend on the interest of the municipalities, said the Ministry of Health. The expectation, in recent weeks, was to attract 10,000 physicians through monthly calls.

In the case of foreigners, only professionals working in countries with a higher proportion of doctors than Brazil (which excludes Bolivia and Paraguay, among others) and those who have diplomas that entitle them to work in the country of training can apply.

At this stage, the enrollments are individual, and not through agreements with governments or institutions. This characteristic may hinder the enrollment of Cubans.

Folha revealed yesterday that negotiations with the Cuban government for the receipt of its doctors were frozen.

Translated by DAVE WOLIN

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