[ad_1]
Ten months before Municipal Secretary of Sade of Belo Horizonte, the third largest city in the country, with 2.5 million inhabitants, did not prevent Jackson Machado Pinto from maintaining the focused positioning that characterizes his personality. In short, he is sure of the role he plays in managing actions in the face of the greatest health and humanitarian crisis, with drastic effects on the economy, both in Brazil and in the world. There are also signs of turbulence that politics has faced.
In this exclusive interview with the State of Mines, Jackson Machado was categorical in recommending that the population maintain preventive measures against COVID-19, at a time of high risk of contamination by coronavrus, with the appeal of Christmas and New Year celebrations. “This is not the time to gather people, get together, celebrate,” he says.
More emphatically, the secretary, who chairs Mayor Alexandre Kalil’s (PSD) advisory committee in making decisions about how to deal with the disease, many of them controversial, draws the attention of people who resist vaccination. “For these people, I think they lack a bit of responsibility for community life.”
Jackson Machado also values the relationship between the City of Belo Horizonte and the Government of Minas Gerais and recognizes that, from a political point of view, there could be more harmony, as well as technical cooperation between the health portfolios in both areas. He regrets that President Jair Bolsonaro did not lead the nation in the fight against the pandemic.
Another controversial issue, the troubled relationship between the BH City Council and the Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants (Abrasel-MG) in recent months, is faced by the secretary. “Abrasel tried to defend his interests, but since he did not know the basic principles of epidemiology, which they did not have to know, he considered that selling was more important than living. This is not really. “Doctor graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (1978) and director of the Dermatological Clinic of Santa Casa, as professor of the discipline of dermatology at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Minas Gerais, Jackson reveals that he is advising his wife, the dermatologist Maria Slvia Laborne, and on the Executive Advisory Committee he has the support of infectologists Carlos Starling, Estevo Urbano and Una Tupinambs.
What was the most difficult time you experienced when dealing with a pandemic?
There were two very difficult moments. One was to advise the mayor to shut down city activities, leaving only the essentials running. The other was to advise the mayor to resume activities that had been closed. Deciding to prioritize the reopening was laborious, taking into account several characteristics of each activity, such as the number of people employed, the resources it moves, the wage bill, the number of people with transportation availability. Both decisions were very difficult.
In an interview with the MS in July, he revealed the care maintained with the family. How has your relationship been with your family members?
The care of the family is the same. We have kept our distance, we wear masks. We talk every day on WhatsApp or by phone, that is why we have maintained our closeness, but at the same time, with responsibility, always thinking about the welfare of others.
What is your assessment of President Jair Bolsonaro’s gesture in the COVID-19 confrontation?
I believe that President Bolsonaro may have had a leadership position, which he did not assume until last Wednesday, when he spoke about the vaccine. The country lacked a firm position, as happened in Germany, for example, and in other countries, in which the top leader of that country did not assume the leading role in the COVID-19 confrontation. There was a lack of leadership to unify the states and municipalities under his tutelage, under his baton.
How do the figures of the disease in the state reflect the decisions of Mayor Alexandre Kalil, when adopting measures of social distance in BH?
Belo Horizonte is a reference for the entire state. a mirror. Everything that is done in Belo Horizonte, the rest of the cities, especially the largest, will be repeated. In addition, the capital is responsible for the hospitalization of almost 50% of the cases that require hospitalization in Minas Gerais. Everything that is done in Belo Horizonte has repercussions in other places. Facing a pandemic, this was no exception. The capital motivated several cities to do what Belo Horizonte did, and this undoubtedly influenced the state’s figures. I have no doubt about it.
How do you evaluate the work carried out so far between the government of Minas Gerais and the City Council of Belo Horizonte in the fight against a pandemic?
The Belo Horizonte City Council and the state government have always understood each other well through their technical areas. The technical areas of the Secretary of State for Health and the Municipal Secretary of Health dialogue almost every day. Not only in terms of the availability of the chosen ones, but also in the teams. The technical areas have a very good relationship. What has lacked a greater harmony from the political point of view, especially from time to time.
What was the best measure of the Belo Horizonte committee of experts? What action would you not take when reviewing the actions taken?
I think the most appropriate measure was the suggestion to the mayor, who was welcomed, to limit the commercial activity of the city to essential activities. This early closure was responsible for the good number of people in the city. Obviously, there are other factors, such as the strength of our primary care network, the adherence of the population to the measures, all of this was very important.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, PBH and Abrasel-MG have been losing arms in relation to the operation of bars and restaurants. Were there exaggerations on both sides? Why was consensus not reached?
Abrasel and the Association of Bars and Restaurants of Belo Horizonte participated in several meetings not only with the committee, but also with the group for the flexibility of commercial activities in the state. There were several meetings and, unfortunately, Abrasel decided that it was better to prosecute the issue, at times, because he did not want to understand that bars and restaurants are places where contagion becomes more favorable due to the fact that people have to remove their masks . The ban on alcoholic beverages, for example, was an attempt to keep bars and restaurants running, but at the same time to avoid the crowds that were taking place in large numbers and which were certainly largely responsible for the increase in cases. that we have seen recently in the city. This is so true that the figures have stabilized, at a high level, it is true, but they have stabilized in a relatively reassuring way, although this figure is high and tends to grow. Abrasel tried to defend his interests, but as he was unaware of the basic principles of epidemiology, which he was not required to know, he thought that selling was more important than living. This is not true. On the other hand, the Association of Bars and Restaurants of Belo Horizonte has always maintained a close relationship with the committee and the Municipal Health Secretariat and has always followed our recommendations.
How do you evaluate people who say they don’t want to get vaccinated against COVID-19?
People who say they do not want to be vaccinated have the right to do so, without a doubt, but it would be interesting not to exercise that right of refusal. We know that the more people are vaccinated, the greater the chances of reducing the number of patients. Each one chooses how he will die, but unfortunately he does not choose to whom he will transmit it. I think these people lack a bit of responsibility for community life.
Do you have any idea how much time you spent talking with Mayor Alexandre Kalil during these months? Did you talk more with him or with the master’s wife?
I spent many hours talking to Mayor Kalil, both in person and on the phone, but it was certainly not more time that I spent at home with my wife, talking to her, who also gave me a lot of advice on behavior in the pandemic.
When do you think the population will live a life without fear again?
Live dangerous. We have to face life and live according to what it offers us, always with positive thinking, taking the necessary protective measures and doing everything possible so that we continue to live in harmony and peace, trying to be happy all the time.
When do you see the ideal time to start vaccinating the BH population? What can the city do effectively to meet this deadline?
The ideal moment to start vaccinating the population of Belo Horizonte when the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) launches an immunizer. Until there is a statement from the regulatory bodies – and Anvisa is a regulatory body of the highest competition, as well as the National Immunization Program (PNI) is one of the best in the world – we will not be sure of offering this vaccine to the population. From the moment Anvisa launches and the PNI makes it available, yes, we can start the vaccination process as soon as we can, since our program, our project, is already ready. (Mayor Alexandre Kalil signed an agreement with the governor of São Paulo, Joo Doria, to guarantee a vaccine against COVID-19, which was considered a B vaccination plan in the capital).
What is your advice to the population this year?
very important that people have responsibility in their relationship with others. This is not the time to gather people, crowd, party. We have seen many cases of fraternization of 10 people from the same family, 12 from the same family, in which six contract COVID-19. It is time to show that you love yourself, keeping the maximum distance possible.
