Dilma responds to opposition to the More Doctors program: 'The people approve'

Bahia 247 – In response to criticism against the Mais Médicos (More Doctors) program, President Dilma Rousseff recalled, in a speech in Bahia, that "the population approves" of the federal government's initiative, which mandates the hiring of Brazilian and foreign professionals to serve in regions where there is a shortage of doctors. Dilma was in Vitória da Conquista, where she inaugurated 1.740 homes from the Minha Casa Minha Vida (My House, My Life) program, alongside Governor Jaques Wagner and the president of Caixa Econômica Federal, Jorge Hereda.

According to Dilma, many people have criticized the hiring of foreign doctors. The president then corrected herself: "Not many people, it's very few people. Especially since polls show that the population approves of the 'More Doctors' program." According to a Datafolha poll released in August, 54% of respondents are in favor of the program. The same poll, conducted in June, had registered an approval rating of 47%. At the same time, rejection of the initiative decreased, from 48% in June to 40% in August.

The president stated that "when we have better medical care, we will be a developed nation." According to her, economic growth is also important, but it's not enough to have it alone. "It's obvious that we want GDP to grow, but in the past, GDP grew and income was concentrated in the hands of a few," she said. Dilma also declared that the More Doctors program is the result of "one of the biggest demands, from mayors, from everyone, everywhere, in every municipality, which is better healthcare."

Against the program, medical entities have promised an offensive to prevent Dilma Rousseff from being re-elected in 2014. The doctors' plan is to influence patients and their families not to vote for the current president in the next election. The Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, lamented the "arrogance" of what he calls "isolated groups." Read below the 247 report on the subject. published this morning:

Medical community promises offensive against Dilma.
Having broken with the government, medical entities are promising a campaign against the president's reelection in 2014, in response to new measures for the health sector and especially the creation of the "Mais Médicos" (More Doctors) program; the discourse is being made openly; according to the president of the Brazilian Medical Association, Florentino Cardoso, doctors will take an anti-government stance to their patients; "It's not about candidate A or B, the feeling is to choose a candidate who, certainly, will not be President Dilma"; according to the president of the National Federation of Doctors, Geraldo Ferreira Filho, the medical profession can decide 40 million votes; Health Minister Alexandre Padilha "laments the truculence and arrogance of isolated groups". 

247 - Outraged by the new measures announced by the federal government in the area of ​​Health, doctors are promising an offensive against the re-election of President Dilma Rousseff in the 2014 election. Having broken with the government, the professional associations are particularly dissatisfied with the approval, in the Chamber of Deputies, of the provisional measure that creates the "More Doctors" program. The text also removes from the Regional Medical Councils the role of granting professional registration to doctors working in Brazil.

These associations also defended the protests that took place in various parts of the country against the hiring of foreign doctors to work in remote regions where there is a shortage of professionals. Now, the offensive will focus on the influence that doctors have over patients, especially in less privileged areas. The intention is, indirectly, to ensure that the population that frequents the hospitals or health centers of these doctors will not vote for President Dilma Rousseff next year.

The discourse is being made openly. "A very large number of doctors who have never been involved in elections are determined to get involved, but in influencing, not running for office. It's very common for patients to ask us, during election periods, who we are going to vote for, especially in less privileged regions. There is a large movement within the medical profession to participate in politics in this way. It's not about candidate A or B; the feeling is to choose a candidate who, certainly, will not be President Dilma," says the president of the Brazilian Medical Association (AMB), Floriano Cardoso, according to a report in the newspaper O Globo.

According to Geraldo Ferreira Filho, president of the National Federation of Doctors, if mobilized, the medical profession could influence 40 million votes in 2014, based on the fact that each professional influences about one hundred people – patients and their families. In his assessment, today 90% of doctors are in opposition to the government. "The medical profession feels it is being treated unfairly by the government, with its demands being disregarded," he says. In São Paulo, where the Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, will be a candidate for governor, there will be a massive campaign directly against him.

Padilha laments arrogance

In response to questions about the actions of what he considers to be "isolated groups" within the medical profession, the Minister of Health wrote an email lamenting the "truculence and arrogance" of professionals "who oppose the program." The Workers' Party member also lamented "the attitude of the president of a medical entity in making this move after the debate on the More Doctors program, which was requested by mayors from all parties, including the PSDB." Padilha concludes by writing: "I am a doctor, I am proud of my profession, but I am the Minister of Health and I must act with a focus on the needs of the Brazilian population."

In an interview with the newspaper Brasil Econômico this Monday, the 14th, Alexandre Padilha stated that he hopes the program will not be used as an electoral issue. "It was an effort by all the mayors, from all the parties. It will only become an electoral issue if the opposition makes the mistake of attacking this program. It will be a double mistake because it will attack a program that is a necessity for the country and that was requested by mayors from the opposition as well," he affirms.

Approval

The offensive by the doctors, however, is against a population that approves of the government's initiative to hire more professionals, both Brazilian and from other countries. According to a Datafolha survey released on August 12, 54% of respondents are in favor of the Mais Médicos program. The same survey, conducted in June, had recorded an approval rating of 47%. At the same time, rejection of the program decreased, from 48% in June to 40% in August. The majority of people who approve of hiring more doctors in regions where there is a shortage of professionals are from the Northeast, one of the places with the greatest deficit.