Due to the critical economic situation in the San Francisco de Asís hospital in Chocó, which has not been paying its workers their salaries for several months, the staff decided to suspend services there. This situation, according to the Office of the Ombudsman, aggravates the crisis in the health center and implies a greater impact on citizens who see their right to access to health violated.
The entity explained that employees of the San Francisco de Asís Hospital owe seven months of work: August, September, October, November and December 2021 and January and February 2022. There are 600 people, both from the medical and administrative staff who are affected. In addition, there are effects on the payment to suppliers. The hospital's payroll liability currently stands at $27,000.
On February 23, the national government, through the Ministry of Labour (MinTrabajo), assured that it would give 8 billion pesos to the health center to help it overcome the economic crisis, however, according to the Office of the Ombudsman, the resources have not been transferred.
Thus, the Office of the Ombudsman urged the Government to comply with the commitment in the shortest possible time. In addition, it called on other government units to join in ensuring the right to health of patients and labor guarantees for workers.
At the moment, officials from the Chocó regional of the Ombudsman's Office are carrying out tours of the different IPS of Quibdó to verify the care of patients given that the difficult situation affects the entire health system in that region of the country.
It should be recalled that the health center had been experiencing problems for more than a year, but the situation worsened after several EPS in the country were liquidated. The most recent decision, which has to do with the closure of Coomeva, caused losses to this hospital of about 2 billion pesos.
The situation of the health center is critical, but the authorities maintain that it will continue to function. The objective is to rescue the hospital and once the situation is overcome, it will be handed over to the department.
“The hospital is not closed, we must continue to strengthen it and it is an instruction from the President of the Republic so that this is resolved as soon as possible, that is why the idea is to hand it over, but we have as an urgent task since the administrative procedure is to cancel the debts through the National Superintendency of Health. The hospital will be handed over to the Government, but without debts and up to date,” said Ángel Custodio Cabrera, Minister of Labor after announcing the resources for the health center.
It must be remembered that in addition to this economic crisis, there are security problems. At least 30 people, including doctors, nurses, assistants and administrators of the San Francisco de Assisi Hospital, have received intimidating messages demanding money from them in exchange for not threatening their lives. Even Camilo Ramírez, who served as the health center's auditor for one year and eight months, resigned from his post for fear of being violated.
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