Around the world, many racial and ethnic communities experience stigma, racism, and racial discrimination. These challenges are present in various areas of life, such as at the workplace, in education, and also in healthcare. In a medical context, Black patients receive less adequate medical treatment compared to their white counterparts. For instance, did you know that Black patients in Brazil wait 10 minutes longer than white people to be evaluated? That medical consultations last, on average, 47% less for Black people? Or that they have fewer chances of undergoing X-rays or other diagnostic procedures?
To expose racism in Brazilian healthcare, IDOMED (Instituto de Educação Médica), together with YDUQS Institute, launched a powerful film as part of their Mediversidade project. Developed in partnership with Artplan agency, produced by Untitled, and directed by Nany Oliveira, the “Black Body” video illustrates how systemic inequities lead to worsening health conditions of Black patients.
“‘Black Body’ is a moving story that brings visibility to an issue Black people face daily in Brazil: unequal treatment in medical services. It makes me extremely happy to see the Mediversidade program bringing this reflection to light. More than that, we are sparking a debate about the role of education in building a more inclusive and conscious society,” explained Claudia Romano, President of the YDUQS Institute and Vice President of the YDUQS educational group.
“Mediversidade is a program that transforms our classrooms, making them more diverse. But it goes further: we are changing medical practice by shedding light on a structural problem in both healthcare and society. We are working to train doctors who are better prepared to see and care for all lives, promoting a more equitable and, above all, human education,” Romano continued.
“With the Mediversidade program, we reaffirm our commitment to inclusion and diversity across all 18 medical schools in the IDOMED group. We believe that a diverse educational environment enriches the academic experience and better prepares all our future doctors to meet the real needs of society,” explained Silvio Pessanha, CEO of IDOMED.
Based on real stories and data, the film follows the life of a Black man, whose life is deeply affected by the structural racism unfolding in Brazilian hospitals. His face is blurred on purpose, only to highlight the invisibility many Black people experience in Brazilian hospitals. The story begins with the protagonist experiencing abdominal pains. He seeks help at the hospital, where a doctor prescribes him some medicine. As his condition worsens, he continues to search for specialized help. Eventually, he finds out what his diagnosis is, only to discover that “[he] waited too long to get diagnosed,” when he clearly is a victim of medical negligence.
Complementing the film is the “Nigrum Corpus – A Study on Racism in Brazilian Medicine” book. Featuring real stories, the publication is created as an educational tool aimed at being distributed throughout the main medical schools in the country. The campaign launched at Cinema Estação in Shopping da Gávea, Rio de Janeiro, with the screening concluding with a debate on the topic.
CREDITS
Brand: IDOMED // YDUQS Institute
Agency: Artplan
