Health in Brazil

Although I have had a good experience with the health-care system in Brasil - albeit with a little of my own initiative and insistence - there are interesting practices with regards to public health and an individual's own attitude to health. Let me explain:


This is the health clinic I was meant to go to in Lencois to have my stitches removed. The nurse unwrapped a brown, paper package and took out a pair of "sterilised" pliers. Thankfully, when I told her I had the stitches only 5 days ago she said I'd have to wait another 3 days. Then she said, "Now I will give you a vaccination for Rubella." I ran, ran, ran away. I went to the doctor who sewed my head 5 days earlier and he took out the stitches in 2 minutes saying, "Those nurses don't know what they're talking about."


"Unit of Family Health." This sign is not important.

"Post of Vaccination HERE." Apparently the initiative to irradiate Rubella priority number one in Brasil at the moment. It seems they have no faith in the body to develop a resistance to something we all get naturally in our life-times and consequently develop natural immunity.



24-hour health care. This is the public hospital where I waited 3-4 hours for Sam to get this toe x-rayed. Though it wasn't fractured after accidentally kicking a chair, they insisted on wrapping it with a length of bandage, making his foot resemble a football.


"Assugrin, com Aspartame"
Translation: "Sugar, with Cancer"



Now you can get all your daily vitamin requirements from a packet of chocolate biscuits. It says, "Vitamins + Calcium" and "New formulation of Vitamins." If you eat these biscuits you may lower your risk of osteoporosis!!!
And who do you thank for this fine product? KRAFT.


My favorite - the liquid sugar. This stuff is toxic! You squeeze a few drops in your tea or coffee in place of real sugar. I should point out that Brasilians are absolutely crazy about sugar and sweets. Foods like Acai and Doce do Leite a couple of examples consumables which are more-or-less pure sugar.