Initially it was established that the new emergency law only includes the purchase of vaccines, payment to sanatoriums and the hiring of white personnel. However, at the request of Senator Hermelinda Alvarenga (PLRA), it was decided to include that the IPS can continue subsidizing suspended workers and paying rest to policyholders affected by Covid-19.
On this last point, it was established that the pension fund use US$20 million of the US$100 million it received at the beginning of the pandemic to be able to comply with both issues. However, there is a question as to whether the entity actually still has that money.
As for Health contracts, they can only be made for deceased workers or those who resign their positions. Regarding the purchase of vaccines, it was established that only the emergency purchase of pediatric vaccines is allowed, which is the only one that the health portfolio does not yet have.
Now it goes to deputies who will deal with the document next Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.
CHRONOLOGY
The plenary first became a committee. There Lilian Samaniego, an independent Colorado senator, affirmed that the extension of the law is essential.
The arguments were the peak of registered cases during the first week of January. Some 7,000 infections in seven days, which represents the highest number in 22 months of the pandemic.
Another argument was the data published by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), which predicts a new collapse of cases and hospitalizations for the month of February in our country.
Patrick Kemper, national senator for Hagamos, questioned that the package of laws only generates the hiring of more political operators without any control. He questioned the fact that Hernán Martínez, Vice Minister of Health, has told the press that Pfizer pediatric vaccines can only be purchased with an emergency law in force. Something that is not true in your opinion.
He questioned that the proposed Health budget approved for 2022 was for US$957 million. There, the purchase of 13 million vaccines for US$ 210 million was already foreseen. This means that the funds are already available to purchase the doses, making it unnecessary to include this point in the new bill.
Another questioned point was that item 100 of Health (for salary payments), received an increase from US$ 577 million to US$ 631 million to support the incorporation of 13 thousand new white professionals. Despite this, more resources are requested for the hiring of more personnel.
Despite the criticism, a majority of senators ended up approving the initiative.
CONFERENCE OF
PRESS
At the end of the session, Esperanza Martínez, a senator from the Guasu Front, reported that the law establishes that the facilities remain in force until June 30.
These concessions will focus on the purchase of pediatric vaccines, the payment of suspended workers and the insured who are resting due to Covid-19 pictures by the IPS.
“What we did not want was to expand the first law because it had more than 50 articles. So, at this time we are going to place demands through the Comptroller’s Office in order to continue monitoring expenses. Each Treasury commission of both chambers will follow up”, he concluded.
