Health personnel do not receive their salaries in the middle of a health emergency

Juan Carlos Zevallos points out that the payment of salaries is the responsibility of the Ministry of Economy.

The Minister of Health, Juan Carlos Zevallos, does not know when the government will pay salaries to health personnel.

The announcement was made before the Committee on Workers’ Rights and Social Security of the National Assembly.

The Secretary of State said that he sent the necessary documentation for the corresponding disbursement to be made to the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF). However, it did not mention the amount owed or the number of unpaid workers.

He clarified that it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Economy to respond on this issue, although he maintained that “there is an extremely critical situation from an economic point of view.”

🔴#ATENCIÓN | Médicos del Hospital Básico de #Sangolquí realizan una manifestación, ya que señalan que no existen medicinas ni implementos para atender a los pacientes. Además exigen al Gobierno el pago de sus sueldo atrasados. pic.twitter.com/CM2iCxqSc8

— Pichincha Comunicaciones (@pichinchauniver) August 12, 2020

Resident physicians at the Pablo Arturo Suárez Hospital indicated that they have not yet received their July salaries.

Meanwhile, at the Sangolquí Basic Hospital, health personnel protest the lack of payments, medicines and supplies necessary to be able to care for the sick, especially those who have symptoms of coronavirus.

They also warned about the administrative instability in this health home, due to the change of District Health Director and Hospital Directors.

Assemblywoman Marcela Holguín (from the Citizen Revolution) commented that 190 postgraduate doctors have not received their salaries either, despite the fact that Zevallos had indicated – weeks ago – that this debt would be covered this August with a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank.

The minister indicated that they are working on the regulation of the Humanitarian Law to guarantee the job stability of the paying doctors at least until December.

Regarding the dismissals in the Ministry of Health, Zevallos reported that between March and July 967 people from administrative areas left, as well as 200 health workers (orderlies, cleaners and others).

In the case of administrative staff, the payroll was reduced from 13,970 to 13,003, and in the case of personnel, from 17,091 to 16,891.

Meanwhile, it was learned that 1,256 doctors joined to work on the front line during the pandemic.