Goiás ICU bed supply exceeds WHO standards but public access remains limited

The state of Goiás, Brazil, has an intensive‑care capacity of 22.3 beds per 100,000 residents, above the World Health Organization’s recommended range of 10‑30. Despite the adequate overall number, access is highly unequal. The private health‑insurance sector operates 922 ICU beds for fewer than one million beneficiaries, while the public Unified Health System (SUS) manages only 798 beds for more than six million people. Consequently, public patients have roughly eight times less access to intensive care than those with private plans. Hospital occupancy in the state network exceeds 90%, putting additional strain on public facilities. Health experts argue that the problem lies more in the distribution and regulation of existing resources than in the absolute number of beds, urging better management to ensure equitable access.