Court orders emergency air transfer of newborn with heart condition in Brazil

A court has issued an urgent injunction to transfer a newborn baby from Mato Grosso to a specialized pediatric cardiac surgery hospital in São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo. The infant, born in Rondonópolis, was diagnosed with a severe congenital heart disease that posed an imminent risk of death.

The decision followed a public civil action filed by the Mato Grosso Public Ministry. The legal intervention sought to compel the state and municipality to fully fund the treatment, including providing an appropriate hospital bed and aeromedical transport via an air intensive care unit (ICU).

The judicial order was granted within thirty minutes of the filing. A reference unit in São José do Rio Preto has confirmed availability for the high-complexity cardiovascular surgery required for the patient.