The shortage of nurses is a concern in most countries around the world. The problem has only been exacerbated by the corona pandemic, which, according to the International Council of Nurses, has led to stress and burnout. But the salary also plays a significant role in retaining the almost 700,000 nurses in the public and private hospitals in Brazil. Therefore, President Lula da Silva has now released 7.3 billion Brazilian reals to introduce a higher minimum wage for nurses and hospital staff in the country. This corresponds to 10.3 billion Danish kroner. – The establishment of the minimum wage is a fair and deserved achievement for these workers, who are essential for the Brazilian healthcare system. They provide services of the highest societal importance by taking care of Brazilian men’s and women’s health, writes the Brazilian Ministry of Health in a written response to Verdens Beste Nyheter. This means that a nurse in Brazil must have at least 4,740 reais a month, which corresponds to 6,700 Danish kroner. Before the new law, the starting salary for a nurse was 3,250 reais, which corresponds to just under 5,000 Danish kroner. The law also covers nursing technicians, nursing assistants and midwives, who have a slightly lower minimum wage. In total, the new law applies to 2.8 million people within the nursing profession. Opiso da enfermagem é uma das cobranças que mais ouvi desde a campanha. Today I signed a project of rent of R$ 7.3 billion for @minsaude, to include no budget for pasta or payment for the floor of the category, valorizando a enfermagem. 📸: @ricardostuckert pic.twitter.com/PRwp0Wn2uM — Lula (@LulaOficial) April 18, 2023 Corona hysteria Just like here at home, the corona pandemic took a toll on the healthcare system in Brazil. In fact, it is one of the countries in the world that was hardest hit. More than 700,000 died as a result of corona. Brazil was hit hard both because many people brought the infection to the country after holidays in Italy, but also because the government at the time was against vaccines. In 2020, then-President Jair Bolsonaro sent Brazilians back to work, calling the coronavirus hysteria. – On the whole, the government was extremely reluctant to acknowledge that the corona even existed, says Marie Kolling, who is a senior researcher for sustainable development and government management with a focus on Brazil at the Institute for International Studies in Copenhagen. And it took a toll on the country’s nurses. In 2021, 49 percent of nurses in Brazil reported that they had anxiety and 25 percent felt depressed. – The incredibly poor handling of the corona has also to that extent contributed to worsening the situation, and it must have been extra tough for an already pressured healthcare system, says Marie Kolling. Underway for quite a while Brazilian trade unions have been fighting for better pay conditions for years, and most recently protested in February. Because the bill was written back in 2009, but has only now been implemented. In fact, it was signed by former President Bolsonaro in August 2022, but because the calculations for the financing were uncertain, the proposal was suspended by the country’s Supreme Court. At the end of April, the bill was finally approved in Congress and signed by President Lula da Silva. – The Ministry of Health considers that the implementation of the minimum wage will be carried out in the coming weeks, they write in a written response to Verdens Beste Nyheder.
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Now nurses get higher wages in Brazil
