On Tuesday morning, doctors and nurses from the Municipal Health Department of Rio de Janeiro staged a protest outside the city's Town Hall, demanding salary adjustments and enforcement of agreements made with municipal management. They also expressed concerns about medication shortages and the insecurity within health facilities. The turnout demonstrated the professionals' frustrations with ongoing issues affecting their work environment and patient care.

The response from the Health Secretary, Daniel Soranz, provoked outrage among the demonstrators and the broader healthcare community. In an Instagram post, Soranz referred to a portion of the protestors as 'a handful of idiots,' emphasizing a lack of empathy for the healthcare needs in the aftermath of a severe storm. This derogatory comment intensified the already existing tensions between the Secretary and the healthcare workers, many of whom feel disrespected and unvalued in their efforts to advocate for better working conditions.

Pedro Varjão, a physician and communications director at the Medical Union, indicated that this is not the first incident of the Secretary using offensive language towards healthcare workers. The recurring nature of these insults raises concerns about the relationship between the management and the professionals responsible for public health, highlighting systemic issues that need addressing within the municipal health system.