The different legislative forces – allies and opposition – disapprove of the way in which the Executive handles the hospital crisis. The blocks affirm that concrete actions are needed from the presidency and suggest a State of Calamity to serve the hospital network.
Just 55 days following the new government took office, 12 hospitals ran out of money to purchase medicines and the hospital network had a debt of Q650 million.
The San Juan de Dios General Hospital had to transfer patients because it did not have supplies and medicines. While an audit report at the Mazatenango Hospital, Suchitepéquez, exposed apparent mismanagement of funds, null sanitary measures and even an infestation of rodents.
Some parties consider that the best option is to declare a state of emergency. Others propose control mechanisms through legislative initiatives.
But the official block does not visualize any of these scenarios. Representative Laura Marroquín, delegate on health issues, said that they are currently focusing on inspection.
“What we did precisely -Wednesday- was go to the Ministerial Office of Health to find out what actions the minister and his vice ministers are taking to be able to overcome this crisis,” said the deputy.
Marroquín added that they would also seek, with the increase of Q13 billion, for a part of that money to work for the crisis. But at the moment they are not considering requesting emergency measures or presenting legislative initiatives.
“At this moment, Semilla is focusing on budget readjustments, also supporting oversight within the ministry’s executing units,” he argued.
Slow response
Contrary to the ruling party, the other parties do request the declaration of a State of Calamity. Task that falls to the presidency of Bernardo Arévalo and his council of ministers.
The Will Opportunity and Solidarity bloc (VOS) in a press conference requested that this measure be executed. The representatives of the bloc indicated that the most immediate route to the crisis is a state of emergency.
“To solve this, the president has to take bold measures, and the bold legal measure provided by the Constitution is the declaration of a State of Calamity in the hospital network and health centers nationwide,” said Orlando Blanco, representative of the bloc.
The VOS deputies say they are aware that the problem is a legacy of past administrations. But now the solution to those problems falls on Arévalo and his work team.
“The responsibility today lies with the president, although we know that this is an inherited problem, but for big problems there are big solutions (…) but we are not seeing a bold measure on the part of the government either,” Blanco said.
Deputy Manuel Archila, representing the Cabal bloc, also sees the hospital situation worthy of an emergency declaration. But he says that it is an issue that should not have happened since initially there was an exchange of information that occurred during the government transition.
“We see with great regret that there is no adequate planning. There were six months of transition and there was a period in which the administrative part was accommodated, but the fact that the hospitals were without medicine was worrying.”
The deputy added that the measures taken by the presidency must be prompt. Since the crisis in the hospital network has an impact on the lives of citizens.
“The health and life of Guatemalans is a national emergency, that is now, not tomorrow. If we need strong solutions to this problem because health care is undersupplied, it is not only in Guatemala City.”
The opposition bloc Valor also assures that the issue is urgent. Its block head, Elmer Palencia, considers that the Executive has been slow in the face of the crisis.
“It seems that there is paralysis by analysis. The Executive is slow, but not only on the issue of health, they are also slow on infrastructure, education and others.”
Bill
To combat shortages, the Vision with Values (Viva) block presented a bill to improve purchasing management.
This is a system promoted by the Foundation for the Development of Guatemala (Fundesa). The tool was used and key in the 2020 pandemic crisis.
“It is a platform that says which medicines are already going down and which ones should be bought, which ones should not and why there are many,” explained Armando Castillo, secretary of Viva, who accompanied his block for the presentation of the project.
Execution
Data obtained through the Integrated Accounting System (Sicoin), of the Ministry of Finance, shows that 12 hospitals no longer have resources for medicines and supplies. Which puts patient care at risk.
The payments that hospitals have already made cover more than half of their budget. Scenario just 55 days following the new government took office.
The disbursements they have made range from Q49.4 million to Q104.2 million. Some hospitals, such as San Juan de Dios, have been the focus of the current crisis. But sources emphasize that it is just a reflection of what happens inside the republic. A report from the Comptroller General of Accounts exposed, for example, the mismanagement of funds at the Mazatenango Hospital, ranging from the use of facilities to purchases made.
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