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Lack of primary health access during COVID-19 intervention in Portel, Brazil

The Portel municipality has one of the worst Human Development Index (HDI) averages in Brazil, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), and the rural communities historically have been neglected from the health system, mainly because access is difficult through rivers.

During its COVID intervention in the rural communities of Portel, Pará, MSF has witnessed a severe lack of primary health and sexual and reproductive health care. These deficiencies have been worsening because of the COVID pandemic.

During the longest mobile clinic, that lasted 8 days and visited 4 communities, MSF treated 390 patients identifying respiratory tract infections, skin diseases and genito-urinary infections as the three main medical diagnosis.

MSBSTO22494

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