Public Health sent in the last hours a letter to the first shift legal judge, Dr. Martín Thomasset, referring to the decision to close Casa de Galicia with the exception of the Highly Specialized Institutes of Medicine (IMAE), which implies the closure immediate of the mutual institution, a decision that is part of the powers of the bankruptcy judge.
In any case, Public Health expresses that “it does not share the decision”, because Casa de Galicia is a key actor within the mutual scenario that has material resources and essential personnel for the fulfillment of the objectives of the National Integrated Health System, which is why which strives for continuity in its operation and respect for the rights of users, associates and workers, an objective that the Secretary of State “sought to protect through administrative intervention.”
The MSP assures that the ruling of the Justice “is not illegal (grounds that would make it admissible to challenge it)” but insists that it does not share it because it is “inconvenient and untimely.”
“It is inappropriate to the point that it flatly anticipated the closure of all activities with the exception of the IMAE, not bearing in mind that there were hundreds of interned people who needed, at least, to be stabilized prior to their transfer, an omission corrected at the request of the authorities. MSP ”, highlighted the Secretary of State.
In any case, it indicates that the decision “is not surprising”, insofar as the IMAE constitute the main source of current income and because the bankruptcy action is based on economic parameters and is oriented to the payment of creditors, “while the protection of the Executive Power through the MSP also recognizes the inherent social purpose of these institutions due to their vocation to protect the most essential human rights, life, health and physical and mental integrity ”.
Responsibility for previous efforts
The Secretary of State shares that the actions and decisions that overthrew in this deficit economic-financial situation “are not the responsibility of the judicial headquarters or the MSP, or the trustees.”
“The responsibility for this situation comes from the management of the then natural authorities of Galicia’s house that, despite the repeated and millionaire economic support provided by the State, continued with a deficit that was much higher than the average of the rest of the providers and without fulfilling, at least partially, its restructuring plans, “says the MSP in its document.
It also indicates that although initially the judicial headquarters displaced the MSP, as a result of interlocutory judgments, “it will again assume the care management, although this time with Casa de Galicia already closed and with an even greater problem as it affects the entire National Integrated Health System ”.
The MSP the main concerned
On the grounds of the closure of the mutual, the MSP assures that it is “surprised that they do not place the focus of attention on the economic-financial situation of the institution, but on an unusual defense (publicly very questioned) of the performance of the receivership and mainly in directing criticism to the Executive Power and to the Administration of State Health Services (ASSE), which are the institutions that are taking charge of the healthcare situation ”.
The Secretary of State rejects that the judge alludes to the “‘lack of commitment of the MPS’, when he has been the main concerned and busy to keep Casa de Galicia in operation and that is why he ordered administrative intervention.”
The Health portfolio clarifies that it did not withdraw of its own accord either, but that 34 days after the intervention was ordered, it was “displaced” by the judicial headquarters, among other arguments because the continuation of the contest made it impossible for the Secretary of State to participate.
The letter argues that while the MSP during the intervention had “prioritized the situation and adopted a negotiating and conciliatory role, which was publicly recognized by both the Uruguayan Health Federation and the Uruguayan Medical Union, the syndicate He proposed to the auditors a series of decisions that could not be shared, some that implied an increase in the already high liability and even that the MSP moved to a non-binding advisory role. Bypassing the commercial defense league completely. “
The Executive Power and the MSP are the “main stakeholders” in the economic statehood of health providers to the extent that the financing of these institutions comes from the public coffers and, therefore, should be aimed at meeting the needs as the main priority. assistance to the population ”, says the Secretary of State.
