Sep 16, 2020

 The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) provided R$ 12 million in financing to Hospital Santa Tereza, one of the main hospitals in the Metropolitan Region of Campinas, São Paulo. The contracted resources will be used to fund up to 62 beds for patients with Covid-19, 43 of which are in the ICU and 19 in the infirmary. Of these, 23 ICU beds are currently available in the hospital.

Costs include spending on human resources (intensive care and general medical teams, physical therapy staff, and nursing and technical staff) and on supplies, materials, medications and personal protective equipment (PPE) for six months. The opening of new beds is part of a hospital expansion process that foresees a series of other improvements that will be carried out with funds from private banks. 

The support occurs within the scope of the Emergency Support Program to Combat the Coronavirus Pandemic, created by BNDES to help the health system in the fight against Covid-19. 

Launched at the end of March as one of BNDES's actions to fight the coronavirus, the initiative grants credit to increase the supply of emergency beds and critical health equipment. Since April 13, the program has approved R$ 292 million in 11 operations, leading to an opening of 2,868 beds for the care of patients infected with Covid-19, 4.5 million diagnostic kits and 1,500 monitoring equipment, in addition to more than 3 million medical materials (such as surgical masks, gloves and other PPE).

About BNDES – Founded in 1952 and currently linked to the Ministry of Economy, BNDES is the main instrument of the Federal Government to promote long-term investments in the Brazilian economy. Its actions are focused on the socioenvironmental and economic impact in Brazil. The Bank offers special conditions for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, in addition to social investment lines, aimed at education and health, family farming, basic sanitation and urban transport. In crisis situations, the Bank acts in an anticyclical manner and assists in the formulation of solutions for the resumption of economic growth.

About Santa Tereza Hospital – HST has more than 40 agreements with health plans and is one of the main hospitals in the Metropolitan Region of Campinas. In its structure, it has a 24-hour emergency room, outpatient clinics of 31 medical specialties (clinical and surgical), maternity and clinical centers for cardiology, gynecology and obstetrics, ophthalmology, oncology, orthopedics, and pediatrics.