Feira de Santana health system under scrutiny as elderly denied emergency care, home‑medicine delivery launched

A 76‑year‑old thyroid‑cancer patient, Edna Dantas Pinho, sought urgent care at the Unidade de Alta Complexidade em Oncologia (Unacon) in Feira de Santana on March 3. Hospital staff refused treatment, saying she was not taking medication, and directed her to a different unit. Her son, psychology student Alan Dantas, reported that she arrived with low oxygen saturation and severe symptoms, was later taken to a municipal health unit in Humildes, and remains in critical condition.

Separately, the municipal health secretariat has begun a "Remédio em Casa" program to deliver prescribed medicines to the homes of eligible residents, including seniors aged 65 or older, bedridden patients and those with comorbidities. The pilot started in July in the Bonfim district and will expand to other districts of Feira de Santana through the end of 2024, aiming to improve access to continuous treatment for vulnerable populations.