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Analysing Long Covid support in Brazil
Summary:
This identifies some of the global health inequities in supporting Long Covid and other long-term chronic conditions.
Cornish, F. et al (2025) summarised by Yesenia J. M. Camacho
Introduction
Long Covid impacts millions in Brazil and is marked by symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, chronic pain, and post-exertional malaise. Despite its high prevalence, particularly among marginalised populations, healthcare support remains insufficient. Infection-associated chronic conditions like those triggered by dengue, Zika, or chikungunya, which are endemic viruses transmitted by mosquitos in tropical countries such as Brazil, present similar long-term health challenges but are often overlooked. Globally, Long Covid is as widespread in the Global South as in the North, yet healthcare research and system responses remain limited in countries like Brazil. This article explores how systemic ‘erasure’ of Long Covid and infection associated to long-term conditions undermines care and equity.
Summary
The review identifies how Brazil’s healthcare system, although built on a universal model, struggles to provide effective care for Long Covid and other infection-associated chronic conditions. This is due to insufficient knowledge, lack of professional training, fragmented research, and underfunded services. Symptoms are frequently dismissed or wrongly attributed to psychological causes, especially among disadvantaged groups. Many patients report being misdiagnosed with anxiety.
Long Covid and related conditions are rarely integrated into standard care protocols, and specialist services are scarce. Despite the Brazilian Ministry of Health issuing some guidance, actual implementation and clinical understanding remain weak. The challenges are compounded by Brazil’s deep social inequalities, where those most affected often low-income, rural, or racially marginalised populations have the least access to care, advocacy, or influence in policymaking.
Globally, similar trends persist. Long Covid care is still heavily concentrated in high-income countries, and global health frameworks lack clear strategies for infection-associated chronic conditions. Nevertheless, Brazil’s past success with HIV/AIDS driven by strong public health leadership, activism, and equitable drug access offers a model for coordinated action.
Conclusion
This study emphasises that the current neglect of Long Covid and infection-associated chronic conditions is not inevitable. Developing proper attention, especially in the Global North, offers opportunities to expand care, research, and workplace accommodations for people with fluctuating and disabling conditions. Brazil’s community-based healthcare structures and history of social mobilisation can support a better response if combined with investment, clinical education, and inclusive policymaking. Internationally, the authors call for a shift from erasure to recognition through collaboration, patient involvement, and equitable sharing of knowledge to improve healthcare for complex chronic conditions and reduce global health inequalities.
Read the full article here
