Works on the Women's Hospital have been abandoned for 12 years and have already cost the public coffers R$10 million — TCE points out delays in at least 70 works in Rio

Work on the Women's Hospital has been abandoned for 12 years and has already cost the public coffers R$10 million — TCE points out delays in at least 70 works in Rio

Written by Romario Pereira of Carvalho

Published 30/04/2025 às 11:25

Works, Rio de Janeiro, Women's Hospital, works stopped

Representative image. Credits: Marcello Casal JrAgência Brasil

Even after millions in investments, structures such as the Women's Hospital, in São Gonçalo, and the State Oncology Hospital, in Nova Friburgo, remain unfinished in RJ

Maternity hospitals and hospitals promised years ago remain unfinished in the state of Rio de Janeiro. A survey by the State Audit Court (TCE) indicates that at least 77 government projects are stalled. Among them, two stand out: the Women's Hospital in São Gonçalo and the State Oncology Hospital in Nova Friburgo.

Women's Hospital closed for 12 years

The Women's Hospital, in São Gonçalo, should have been operating since 2015. construction It has already cost R$10 million and has been idle for 12 years. Even though it is not being used, the project still generates expenses for the public coffers.

In 2022, the state government paid R$488 in fines and interest to the responsible contractor and R$357 for a demolition service that, according to the report, was not located. The total expenditure in a single year reached R$848.

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The abandoned structure in the Colubandê neighborhood is surrounded by bushes. The city, the second most populous in the state, has only one public maternity hospital, which does not have the capacity to treat serious cases. Women with high-risk pregnancies must seek care in neighboring cities, such as Niterói.

Vanessa Costa, sales promoter, regrets the situation. “Sad, right? It could be a place well used by us women, who need it a lot..” Nurse Fátima dos Santos also criticizes the abandonment. “Faced with so much talk of 'pro-life', and those who want to have children are unable to have them properly. "

State deputy Renata Souza (Psol) asked the TCE to audit the expenses for the work and took the complaint to the Public Ministry.At this moment, the women here, in Colubandê, are completely unassisted in what would be the obvious: a hospital where 53% are women to care for these women. "

Construction work on oncology hospital continues with no completion date set

In Nova Friburgo, the State Oncology Hospital should have been completed years ago. Construction began in 2015, with a bid of R$45 million, in partnership with the federal government.

Two years later, the contract was readjusted with an increase of almost R$4 million, and the delivery deadline was postponed to 2017.

Despite the increase in costs, the project suffered a reduction in scope. The Court reported that the original plan was readapted to enable completion of the work.

However, it was not completed. In 2022, a new sign announced the resumption of work, with an additional R$50 million and a one-year deadline for completion. In 2025, however, construction remains unfinished.

Retired Mariléa Spitz, who had two cases of cancer in her family, reports the difficulties she faced. “Leaving, going to Rio, waiting for the car, it’s a whole day after chemotherapy, very difficult, we live in a very delicate situation. "

State government defends itself

The Rio government claims that all health projects have been completed or are underway. It also says that the current administration, led by Cláudio Castro, has resumed projects that had been stalled for over 10 years.

Regarding the Nova Friburgo Oncology Hospital, the government reported that the work needed to be adapted to follow health standards and that the inauguration is scheduled for the end of 2025.

In the case of the Women's Hospital, the official response was that the unit is still in the design phase, with no completion date set.

Information outside the TCE panel

The Rio de Janeiro Court of Auditors' website reports 77 halted projects in the state. However, the court itself acknowledges that the number could be higher, since the data is provided by the municipalities.

Health-related projects, such as the Women's Hospital, are not on the list, as the TCE report only considers Emop (Public Works Company) projects in the areas of security and education. The Ministry of Health, when contacted to comment on the termination of the partnership in the construction of the oncology hospital, did not respond.

With information from G1.

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Work on the Women's Hospital has been abandoned for 12 years and has already cost the public coffers R$10 million — TCE points out delays in at least 70 works in Rio