August 28, 2022, 4:00 AM
August 28, 2022, 4:00 AM
The mayor is worried. In the last two weeks, Jhonny Fernández has intensified talks to manage resources to fulfill his plan. “You have to do it with time,” said the mayor, who is already a year and four months old.
From the opposition they expressed their doubts about the results of the management and there are complaints. “We are betting on putting more resources in order to have equipment, medicines, reagents,” said the authority in relation to the budget that has already been presented to the Municipal Council.
Last week, several health centers denounced the lack of medicines and supplies, as well as precarious conditions. Fernández mobilized before this scenario to avoid a strike announced by the Federation of Unions and Medical Branches of Public Health (Fesirmes).
“We will do this (the administration of resources) in a closer way with all the main actors who are the health workers, those from Fesirmes, who are in the health units and in the networks,” Fernández said. He pointed out that it was agreed to avoid “bottlenecks” so that medicines reach patients who go to health centers in a timely manner.
On Friday, Fernández delivered reagents and medical supplies to the Plan Tres Mil Municipal Hospital for a value of Bs 2 million. For this year, the mayor’s office allocated about Bs 3.1 million as a budget for medicines and supplies in this hospital.
“I am accelerating the processes so that supplies continue until the end of the year and the budget we have is met. This year we committed Bs 170 million to start this process and next year we want to increase that amount to provide better quality care to our neighbors,” said Fernández.
He revealed that by 2023, Bs 700 million will be allocated for the health item. That means US$101 million or 2% of the budget you presented in next year’s POA. Lots of improvements are coming for next year,” he announced.
The municipal authority also reported that five new scanners will be purchased for second-level hospitals and, with the support of the national government, ambulances will be obtained for the city. The purchase of these goods is part of the 99 promises he made to come to power in the municipal government.
The Fernández administration also disbursed Bs 54.9 million, in favor of the state company Quipus, to acquire a batch of 19,635 “Classmate Super Kuaa” laptops. These teams will be used by students of the municipality, but on loan, while they are trained in public classrooms.
The millionaire purchase sparked criticism. Councilman Federico Morón questioned the purchase and brought a complaint of overpricing against Fernández and his Finance Secretary, Mario Centallas.
Morón, from the Autonomous Community alliance, said that the equipment is outdated and has been observed by the students themselves. In addition, he questioned that the image of the mayor is part of those municipal assets that are oriented to the education of students.
