The number of doctors in Brazil will increase by 5,000 doctors due to a measure that allowed doctors nearing completion of their studies to graduate early. The measure was adopted in March this year to help confront Covid-19.
The data are part of a survey by the Federal Council of Medicine, in partnership with the University of São Paulo.
Upcoming graduations brought 5,173 new doctors to the health market. There were 650 in March, 3,121 in April, and 1,402 in May.
The Ministry of Education set forth an ordinance that provided for the possibility of moving up medical school graduations.
"Many universities released students who needed only the presentation of the course completion work, they had done about 95% to 98% of the curriculum", says CFM's first secretary and director of Communication, Hideraldo Cabeça. "I believe that this is a contribution in the fight against Covid-19, mainly in states with few doctors per thousand inhabitants, as in Acre."
The study also shows that, from January to May, over 9,653 doctors graduated in Brazil. More than one-third of the doctors are concentrated in only three states - São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais.
As a result, the country now has 523 thousand professionals. Of the total, 422 thousand doctors today can act on the front lines of the fight against the new coronavirus, says the study by CFM and USP.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon