The government expanded the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to mild cases of the novel coronavirus due to a clamor from society, said the Health Ministry's secretary of management in health work. Mayra Pinheiro coordinated the preparation of the new document.
"The motivation for making this document comes from the need for a response to the population. We have more than 18 thousand deaths in Brazil, more than 327 thousand deaths in the world, and there is a cry from society that comes to the Ministry through medical societies, popular representations, and parliamentarians asking for a formal demonstration," he said.
Using a mask with the Brazilian flag and the SUS logo, Pinheiro tried to justify the measure by stating that the population had difficulty accessing the medicine.
"In Brazil, for Brazilians of a certain social class, there is the right of a medical prescription for these drugs, and for a less economically favored layer, there is a limitation of access to these medications."
The document released by the fourth folder foresees the use of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine associated with azithromycin for patients in all stages of Covid-19, including mild cases. Until then, the Ministry's protocol predicted use only in critically ill or critically ill patients, monitored in hospitals.
According to the secretary, the drug may be used even before the diagnosis of the new coronavirus is confirmed by means of tests. If the result is negative, use should be suspended.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon