Ms. Monica Batista Teixeira is a Brazilian nurse with specialization in obstetrics, women’s health and oncology. Like many of her colleagues, she endured extremely difficult conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic, working around the clock without adequate resources or supplies. Despite this, health workers delivered care in rural, hard to reach areas and saved countless lives.
With 15 years prior nursing experience, Ms. Batista was working as a Healthcare Manager for chronic diseases at the Amazonas state department when COVID-19 hit. The pandemic has had a devastating impact in Brazil, infecting more than 34 million people and causing an estimated death toll of 685,000. Brazil’s health system struggled under the weight of increased caseloads, limited resources and political instability. At the height of the crisis, health services in the country’s northern region were stretched to breaking point.
The crisis became personal. Ms. Batista learned that her uncle had suffocated from a lack of oxygen in the intensive care unit in Manaus, in Amazonas state. After his death, she departed on the next flight to save others from the same fate. She coordinated and supported the transport of over 900 COVID-19 patients from Amazonas state to health facilities in neighboring states. Her efforts resulted in a 90 percent survival rate among those she transported. For three months, she didn’t see her eight-year-old daughter or family.
Recalling the day when she made the decision to move from health management policy to the frontlines of a global crisis, she describes the compulsion she felt to respond. “The trapped, under siege and war-like situation that COVID caused in the community motivated me to join the fight. I knew we (nurses) were needed.”
Ms. Batista remembers the sense of camaraderie she experienced with fellow workers at that time. She points to the outstanding work of health professionals, specifically highlighting the contribution of women, who make up 65 percent of the Brazilian health force. In some careers, such as nursing, they represent more than 80 percent and were the country’s first line of defense during the pandemic.
“We were all together in the pandemic, not only as health professionals but as service givers. We left our homes, our family, to be on the frontlines. It was very brave of women to make that move. ” The first person to recognize her extraordinary contribution was her daughter, describing Ms. Batista as a heroine, but she is quick to extend this attribute to all women in health.
“It was inspiring to see women’s strength at that moment. The nursing profession is characteristically held by women, but even more so in Brazil. These women who are usually treated as expendable are indeed superheroes in a sense. We all went through the fear of leaving our children, our family, our lives, but we overcame it.”
Ms. Batista is committed to continuing the fight for her community’s right to health and sees women with their unique perspective as essential to that fight. Her advice to all women is simple.
“Anything is possible once you have passion and thoughtfulness. Those are the qualities that make great women leaders. I think women can achieve whatever they want, whether in health or in other areas. It comes down to personal passion, strength and the compassion we have for others. Having that provides us with vision and insight that we can apply in any area.”
