A Brazilian mayor has sparked controversy after storming into a locked hospital rest room and accusing two doctors of engaging in sexual activity while patients were reportedly waiting for treatment.
The incident took place on Wednesday night at the Municipal Hospital Jailton Messias de Souza Albuquerque, following public complaints about delays in receiving medical attention.
During the surprise inspection, Barreiros Mayor Carlinhos da Pedreira claimed that only one of the three doctors on duty was attending to patients, while the other two were inside a locked room.
He ordered the room to be opened, where he confronted a male doctor and a female doctor.
Footage of the confrontation, which has since gone viral on social media, showed the mayor losing his temper and accusing the pair of being “busy having sex” while patients waited for treatment.
He also threatened to fire them.
However, the video did not establish whether the two doctors had engaged in any intimate activity, despite the mayor’s allegations.
The Pernambuco Doctors’ Union (Simepe) subsequently defended the medical staff, explaining that the two doctors were taking a break after completing the first 12 hours of a demanding shift.
According to the union, the third doctor remained on duty and continued treating patients while the other two rested.
Simepe stressed that taking scheduled breaks during working hours should not be considered neglect of duty, provided medical services remain uninterrupted and patients continue receiving the care they need.
The union also condemned the mayor’s actions, accusing him of humiliating the two doctors and exposing them to public judgement.
The Pernambuco Regional Medical Council (Cremepe) also objected to the public exposure of the doctors’ identities.
It stressed that complaints concerning treatment standards, duty schedules and the delivery of healthcare services should be addressed through the appropriate institutional and legal channels.
