Lumiar Residents Report Emergency Service Failures

The districts of Lumiar and São Pedro da Serra in Nova Friburgo have been the site of numerous complaints regarding emergency medical care. Tensions rose significantly after the death of a young girl, which residents claim occurred due to a lack of timely medical intervention. This tragedy prompted a public demonstration near Christmas, placing pressure on local officials to address the situation.

Following this public pressure, the Prefeitura announced the return of a municipal ambulance to the area. However, residents report that the situation has not improved. They continue to face significant obstacles when trying to access urgent care. The local population emphasizes that these issues become even more pronounced during the high tourist season at the end of the year, when the influx of visitors strains the already fragile healthcare infrastructure.

Despite official announcements, locals report a lack of clear communication and significant difficulties in activating the emergency service. One resident, Augusto, described a harrowing experience where he had to physically locate the ambulance crew late at night.

According to Augusto, the ambulance was present in the district but appeared unresponsive. He stated:

"The telephone did not work, the intercom seemed mute, and the feeling was that no one was listening."

He further explained that a resident had to leave their home around 10:00 PM to go to the ambulance base and ring the intercom multiple times before receiving a response. Residents also took to social media to contradict the official narrative of regular operations. One comment noted that the ambulance must leave the district to pick up staff or eat meals at a location in Raul Sertã, leaving the district without coverage. Another resident criticized the vehicle's lack of equipment, noting it contains only a stretcher and a driver, but no oxygen cylinders or defibrillators, rendering it a transport vehicle rather than an immediate care unit.

The Secretaria Municipal de Saúde issued a statement asserting that the ambulance service serving Lumiar and São Pedro da Serra is functioning regularly. The secretariat stated that the phone number provided for activation and the equipment are operating normally. They also emphasized that the SAMU service, reachable via 192, remains available to the region for urgent and emergency situations.

Regarding a specific incident on the night of January 1st, the secretariat explained that a patient was attended to but refused hospital transport. The patient was reportedly intoxicated and requested to be taken to their own residence. The secretariat noted that the crew had to locate the patient on the public highway, which contributed to the recorded response time.

Residents highlight a critical geographical barrier: the distance to the nearest medical facility. Lumiar and São Pedro da Serra are approximately 35 kilometers from the Hospital Municipal Raul Sertã in Nova Friburgo. This distance can translate to nearly an hour of travel time in emergency situations. Residents argue that with the population increase during high season, the response time becomes a decisive factor in life-or-death scenarios.

The community remains deeply affected by the recent loss of the young girl. Augusto expressed that the population feels traumatized and is demanding greater accountability from public officials. He argued that the issue is not a lack of resources, as the post, equipment, and personnel exist, but rather a lack of care and seriousness in how the service is managed.

"Public health is a matter of life or death," he stated, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. Residents continue to demand a reliable and fully equipped emergency response system to ensure the safety of the local population and the influx of tourists visiting the region.