The morning of last Thursday (5/14) marked the reopening of inpatient ward beds at the Lagoa Federal Hospital (HFL), in Rio de Janeiro, an important step in the integration process between HFL and the National Institute of Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health Fernandes Figueira (IFF/Fiocruz). The initiative is part of the “Agora Tem Especialistas” program, a strategy of the Ministry of Health (MS) for the restructuring of federal hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, focusing on improving and optimizing the services provided by the Unified Health System (SUS).  

The event also marked the reception of approximately 200 professionals hired by Fiotec as part of the integration process, with the aim of strengthening the unit’s care capacity. The foundation that supports Fiocruz is responsible for structuring and conducting the selection processes for all institutes included in the Program. In total, more than 1,500 professionals have already been hired.  

Alongside representatives of Fiocruz, the Federal Government, and the Lagoa Federal Hospital, the Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, took part in the agenda and celebrated the integration with the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation as a pathway to the strengthening and appreciation of HFL: “We are restructuring three national institutes in Rio de Janeiro. For the first time in history, the commitment is for all three hospitals to operate at 100% of their capacity. The true owner of this hospital is the people of Rio de Janeiro. “This hospital is beautiful not only for its infrastructure, but also for its history of care, saved lives, and professional training.”  

In addition to the 26 beds reopened in the surgical ward of HFL, which had been deactivated since 2021, another 16 were made available to the SUS this Monday (5/18), totaling 42 beds. R$ 20 million were invested in the restructuring of the unit. “In addition to the adaptation of physical space and facilities, the reactivation of the beds has been made possible by the arrival of approximately 200 professionals hired in May, as part of the integration process between Fiocruz and HFL. The replenishment of human resources has also had an impact on the Pediatric ICU, which had been operating under severe capacity constraints, functioning with only 60% of its beds active,” noted the general director of HFL/Fiocruz, Lívia Menezes.  

Fiotec brought representatives to the event, three of its designated professionals who work directly alongside the healthcare teams in the institutes that are part of the “Agora Tem Especialistas” program. Lumma Marques, from the Personnel Administration team, commented on how rewarding it is to be part of such an initiative: “It was incredible to hear more about the impact this restructuring will have on the population, especially in reducing waiting lists and expanding access to care.”  

In a special address to the workers hired for the Lagoa Federal Hospital, the President of Fiocruz, Mario Moreira, said he counts on the dedication of the teams for HFL to return to the place it deserves to be. “The cornerstone of this project is respect for people, for the workers who will be fundamental in this integration process between Fiocruz, HFL, and IFF. I would like to welcome those who are joining us now. You can be sure that, despite the challenges we face, what drives us is our commitment to the population and to the health of our people.”