Saving Lives
(Re)action of philanthropy
Saving Lives
(Re)action of philanthropy
Saving Lives: Philanthropy’s (Re)action During Covid-19
By: Raissa Testahy
The year 2020
This is what Wendell Bornéo, a member of Sitawi’s Philanthropy Management team, says. In March 2020, he was at the organization’s office when he received the news that, starting the following day, everyone would be working from home for 15 days.
However, what was supposed to be 15 days turned into three years. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified Covid-19 as a pandemic. In just a few months, it was necessary to figure out how to continue working, studying, and living amidst the health crisis.
N-95 masks, alcohol gel, sanitizing purchases and products. All over the world, 2020 was marked by a lot of fear and the absence of meetings.
However, in Brazil, the pandemic has further exposed social inequalities. Studies indicate that, in addition to age and the presence of comorbidities, the socioeconomic situation of populations has increased the risk of contracting the disease: which has made the poorest people the main victims of the virus.
It was in this scenario that, in April 2020, during the height of the pandemic, the campaign was launched Saving Livesto strengthen health professionals in public hospitals who are exposed to the virus on a daily basis. The program was an initiative of the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), in partnership with Sitawi, Bionexo and the Confederation of Santas Casas and Philanthropic Hospitals (CMB).
In 2020, the Program benefited more than 779 philanthropic institutions and public hospitals — which serve the Unified Health System (SUS) in all regions of the country — with the purchase of PPE (personal protective equipment), such as masks, gloves, caps, aprons and alcohol gel.
War against the virus
In mid-2020, the lack of supplies and PPE resulted in high demand and exorbitant prices on the market. Many hospitals no longer had enough N-95 masks, among other PPE, to protect healthcare professionals.
“The hospital was full, the emergency room was full, there was a lack of medicines and supplies: it all seemed like a war operation,” says Márcio Nunes, Administrative Director of Hospital São Francisco na Providência de Deus — one of the philanthropic organizations supported by the project. The professional comments that the first donation arrived at the hospital’s most alarming moment.
HSF was a very active hospital in confronting the pandemic. In March 2020, we partnered with other institutions to offer beds for SUS patients. In the hospital alone, we had more than 100 COVID beds,” Nunes emphasizes.
What are philanthropic hospitals?
These are private, non-profit institutions that have a contract with the public system to provide care to SUS patients. At least 60% of the care provided by philanthropic hospitals must be provided to SUS.
The year 2021
The arrival of new variants and the progress of vaccination
In January 2021, the whole world was looking at Amazonas. This time, the state that has the largest forest in the world was experiencing a public calamity: the lack of oxygen in hospitals in Manaus. The state was the first in the country to suffer from the impacts of the second wave of Covid and was one of the saddest moments of the pandemic.
The combination of all the crises: economic, health and political, resulted in a rush for oxygen cylinders by the population. Given the increase in cases and death toll from Covid-19, BNDES and its partners in the initiative decided to reopen the collection of donations for the program. In the second phase of Salvando Vidas, donations were only received from legal entities, in amounts starting at R$100,000.
At this stage, oxygen cylinders were delivered to Manaus, divided between the Delphina Aziz (50 units), 28 de Agosto (30), Getúlio Vargas (10) and Platão Araújo (10) hospitals.
In addition, Matchfunding Salvando Vidas donated 20 oxygen plants to Brazilian hospitals. The donations support the structural reinforcement of the benefited health units, necessary to assist in the treatment of Covid-19 and the consequences associated with the disease, also leaving a legacy for the population of these locations.
Doses of hope
As Lulu Santos sings, “Nothing that was will be; again the way it once was; everything passes, everything will always pass.” In the same month marked by despair in Manaus, in the city of São Paulo we began to have hope for better days. Mônica Calazans, 54, a black woman and nurse, was the first person to be immunized in the country.
In December of the same year, Brazil already had 80% of its vaccinated population With two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. Vaccine in the arm and mask on the face, another pandemic year ended, with sad milestones, but above all with hope and a lot of solidarity.
The year 2022
From the concrete jungle to the remote forest
Long distances, difficult access, transportation and communications: bringing medical care and supplies to riverside and indigenous communities in the Amazon is no easy task in normal times. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the challenge has been doubled.
It is in the west of the state of Pará, more specifically between the Tapajós-Arapiuns Extractive Reserve (Resex) and the Tapajós National Forest (Flona), that the only means of transport for riverside peoples is located: the Tapajós River. It is the main route for transport and communication for the riverside communities of the Amazon, Tapajós and Arapiuns rivers, located in the municipalities of Santarém, Aveiro and Belterra.
Providing healthcare, hygiene kits and Covid-19 prevention, the hospital boat Abaré II, whose name means “friend” in Tupi Guarani, was renovated with resources from the Saving Lives campaign between 2021 and 2022.
In addition to structural revitalization, painting services, installation of nautical, communication and security equipment, the vessel received new and modern hospital equipment and PPE.
This was possible thanks to a joint effort, largely supported by resources from the Health and Happiness Project through its partners such as Matchfunding Salvando Vidas, Fundação OAK, Takeda, and counterpart funds from the City of Santarém and a parliamentary amendment by Deputy Airton Faleiro for the acquisition of equipment. In addition to the essential role of social organizations, community and union leaders, and movements of quilombola and indigenous populations.
“Seeing the impact of Sitawi and these initiatives up close is very significant, because it makes me understand the importance of my work and that of all the other organizations involved in pursuing a common goal: building a better world for people,” highlights Victor Ribeiro, Philanthropy Management Manager at Sitawi.
Priscilla Batista, the analyst responsible for the Salvando Vidas processes, gets emotional when she remembers her visit to the vessel. “Being there, seeing the boat, really moved me. The people really needed help. It was very gratifying to see the importance of my work.”
Challenges and innovation
Even with a scenario full of uncertainties and challenges, we had an exponential growth in the number of collaborators and were able to develop solutions to mitigate the impact of the disease. When asked for a word that defines Salvando Vidas from the people interviewed, all highlighted innovation.
“The pandemic unfolded and the project was innovated and adapted to meet society’s needs. In the final stretch, we started purchasing refrigerators for the vaccines. How do you purchase refrigerators? How do you purchase oxygen plants? Everything was done quickly and with a high level of compliance and transparency.”, highlights Wendell Borneo.
“The project starts with a design and we redesign it over time. We are always attentive to BNDES regulations and seeking agility. It was quite a challenge,” says Sandro Ambrosio, manager of the BNDES Industrial Complex and Health Services department.
It was hard not to feel overwhelmed by so much sad news during the pandemic. From Sunday to Sunday, what we saw on television seemed like scenes from a science fiction film. And for those who worked daily to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, it was even more complicated.
“We experienced this intensely. For example, every report we produced had to report on the situation of the location that would receive the donations. Emotionally, it was very difficult. We were working on a project that helped reduce the number of deaths, so time was life.”, recalls Sandro.
In the race against time to raise funds and make purchases from suppliers, and then deliver to hospitals across the country, agility and flexibility were required. “Personally, everyone was in a delicate situation with family members and fear of the disease. Working on a project linked to the pandemic and monitoring mortality rates all the time and the situation in each place meant that the sooner we did our work, the sooner PPE would arrive in those locations,” highlights Carla Vilela, BNDES analyst responsible for Saving Lives.
Transformative power: the union between the public, the private and civil society
The positive results of the campaign were generated by the union between several parties. Even with the end of more difficult times (in May of this year, the WHO declared the end of the COVID-19 pandemic), the legacy remains for the beneficiaries and those involved in the action.
The resources allowed the purchase of almost 80 million Personal Protective Equipment, including masks, gloves, caps, aprons and alcohol gel, for health professionals and patients. With the oxygen crisis in several regions of Brazil, the project also directed efforts to the acquisition of cylinders and plants. In total, more than 9 million people throughout Brazil were impacted.
“Saving Lives will be forever marked in our professional and personal lives. It is a project that we are very proud of, which has won awards and is recognized for its importance. It was the most delicate moment in Brazilian public health, and despite all the tension we were experiencing, we had the feeling that we were helping and doing our part.”, comments Carla.
In the second half of this year the project will end and the last donation will be delivered. What remains is the legacy and the feeling of duty fulfilled.
