The 28-year-old man who died after waiting for a hospital transfer to São Luís showed changes in his lungs and an enlarged heart before his condition worsened, according to his family. Jemerson Felipe Rodrigues Pereira began to feel short of breath and cough a few days before admission and died in the early hours of Friday (11), in Pinheiro, Baixada Maranhense.
Jemerson Felipe was buried this Saturday (12), in Bequimão, in Baixada Maranhense, the city where he was born. Family and friends participated in the farewell.
According to the family, Jemerson had no chronic illnesses and began showing respiratory symptoms a few days before hospitalization. He was admitted to the Lídia Martins Municipal Hospital, in Bequimão, with an intense cough, fatigue and shortness of breath.
The young man's cousin, Andressa Luanna, said that Jemerson had gone out with friends and, upon returning home, began to feel worse. At around 1 am, with difficulty breathing and a strong cough, he asked his sister to take him to the hospital.
According to the family, Jemerson had already sought care less than a month before for similar symptoms and also had a history of pneumonia.
At Lídia Martins Municipal Hospital, the doctor requested blood tests and kept Jemerson hospitalized for follow-up. According to the family, 17 blood tests were requested to be carried out in the morning.
The family members also presented the doctor with a previously taken X-ray. According to the report, the hospital unit's equipment for carrying out a new exam was not working at that time.
The cousin claims that the previous exam showed changes in the lungs and that the doctor also noticed that Jemerson's heart appeared to be enlarged. Because of this, an electrocardiogram was requested.
According to Andressa, the family believes that there was a delay in carrying out the exams. She states that the electrocardiogram was requested in the morning, but carried out only around 2 pm.
After the result, the doctor requested Jemerson's urgent transfer to São Luís.
For the family, the delay in carrying out the exam would have delayed the beginning of the transfer. Andressa states that, if the electrocardiogram had been carried out in the morning, the young man could have left Bequimão earlier.
According to the family, there was only one ambulance available to transport at that time, but the vehicle was in São Luís. It was necessary to wait for the ambulance to return to Baixada Maranhense.
Jemerson left Bequimão at around 5:50 pm and arrived at the Cujupe Terminal at approximately 6:20 pm. Family members expected the ambulance to board a ferry scheduled to leave at 6:50 pm.
The crossing, however, did not occur at that time, according to the family. The ambulance remained at the terminal until approximately 8:30 pm.
During the wait, Jemerson's health condition reportedly worsened. According to his cousin, he was worried about the possibility of not arriving in São Luís in time and began to experience a rapid drop in oxygen saturation.
Faced with worsening, the ambulance returned to Bequimão. The family also states that it was necessary to take new medication and replace the oxygen cylinders used during transport.
After returning to Bequimão, Jemerson received further care and was taken to the Dr. Antenor Abreu Regional Hospital, in Pinheiro.
According to Andressa, he arrived at the unit around 11pm, already in serious condition. The family was informed that Jemerson would need to be intubated.
The cousin claims that, after that, the young man suffered five cardiac arrests.
According to the family, the possibility of an air transfer to São Luís was questioned. The medical team reported, however, that Jemerson's health condition was already serious and that he would not be able to withstand the transfer. Jemerson died in the early hours of Friday, in Pinheiro.
After the repercussion of the case, the governor of Maranhão, Carlos Brandão, stated that the government will investigate the circumstances of the death and announced a meeting with mayors of Baixada Maranhense, companies responsible for the ferry service and state secretariats. The meeting was scheduled for this Sunday (13).
According to Brandão, among the measures that should be discussed are improvements in communication between terminals and hospitals, in addition to charging for compliance with ferry boat travel schedules and schedules.
In a statement, the State Secretariat of Government (Segov) lamented the death of Jemerson Felipe, aged 28, and reported that it was investigating the circumstances related to the delay of the vessels. The ministry stated that it will adopt emergency measures, such as reinforcing inspection of travel schedules and improving communication between terminals and hospitals. He also highlighted that ambulances have priority for boarding on ferryboats.
