3 Health Ministers in Less Than 2 Months

On Wednesday, Brazil’s health ministry issued new guidelines for the wider use of anti-malarial drugs in mild coronavirus cases, in bold defiance of public health experts warning of possible health risks. 

Like a good soldier, Eduardo Pazuello (right), the army general who is the interim health minister, obeyed his president, Jair Bolsonaro. 

Almost immediately, he approved the early use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine – unlike the two doctors Luiz Mandetta and Nelson Teich who left the ministry’s top job because they refused to give in and support the said drugs' adoption, even with fierce pressure from Bolsonaro. 

[FYI, popular Mandetta was unceremoniously fired on April 16 and his successor, Teich abruptly resigned soon after, the announcement made via WhatsApp on May 15]. 

The new guidelines suggested dosage for the anti-malarials along with the antibiotic azithromycin at the onset of symptoms. Patients or family members would have to sign a waiver recognizing potential side effects.

Hmm, I wonder if Donald Trump had signed any waiver. 

On Thursday, the country passed another grim coronavirus milestone, with more than 20,000 fatalities. Not to mention that it has the third highest number of cases in the world, after the US and Russia.

Interestingly, just hours before the new death toll was announced, Bolsonaro (left) had claimed the pandemic’s threat had been exaggerated with “a great deal of propaganda”.

Meanwhile, the UK “officially” reached a quarter of a million cases on Thursday. And Panama recorded 10,000 on the same day.

Over on the other side of the world, Pakistan registered more than 50,000 cases on Friday. Also on that day, Singapore, Bangladesh and Portugal surpassed 30,000.

Covid-19 is alive and kicking!