The Syndicate’s doctors held a press conference, Wednesday, October 27, to point out the shortcomings in the health system and the lack of cadres and supplies needed to deal with the Covid-19 epidemic.
Cristina Sagastomy, Secretary General of the Committee of the Guatemalan Physicians and Surgeons Syndicate and a doctor at a health center in District One of the capital, noted that the health system was poor and, according to her, they did not get an adequate response from the authorities.
“If you see in the health center where I am, there is no medicine for patients with Covid-19. There are no stitches and they arrive with wounds and we have nothing.”
He stressed that the Ministry of Health did not give them the answer they needed, “as if it was Zina, with people who did not know in depth what jobs they should do in the health center.”
He noted that Health Minister Francesco Coma “will speak but he is not working, they are not going out to the departments, they are not working as we expect them to work.”
He stated that they do not have biosafety equipment either. He noted that at the beginning of the epidemic they owed them three surgical masks and two of another type, and now they are given only surgical masks.
He pointed out that in the District 1 health center, at least 46 people were infected with Covid-19 disease, and a secretary died.
He stated that the situation has not changed, as there are no medicines to care for Covid-19 patients. He asked the health not to provide them with poor quality medicines.
Sergio Alvarado, financial secretary and physician at Hospital de Amatitlan, reported that since the beginning of the epidemic, “the necessary protective equipment has never been available.”
He pointed out that there are not enough tests to diagnose COVID-19 as an appropriate treatment.
He stressed that the doctor is risking his life because of the virus and cannot stop caring for a patient with another disease.
“There are no more masks, they have been donated, that is the situation and so we carry on,” Alvarado said.
80 doctors died
While Sagastom added that 80 doctors have died during the pandemic, not including cleaners, nursing assistants and registered nurses.
These doctors died directly from their Covid-19 care and according to Sagastom, “The sad thing is that many of these doctors didn’t even pay them for four months and they passed away.”
Another case, Lourdes Illezcas, training secretary and physician at Amatitlán Hospital, said was that during last year’s disaster situation, no staff were hired to replace 60-year-old workers with some comorbidities who were on guard.
Because of this situation, in the area covered by it, three people stayed, one saw a condenser, another an emergency and another bedridden.
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“We don’t like being called heroes because we are human, except for the doctors who swore and fulfilled it, we are also family members, mothers to families, we are also grandparents and this situation has been very difficult,” she said.
personal error
She stated that the situation is still the same, there is a shortage of assistance workers, and according to her, they do not need administrative personnel.
Eliskas stressed that it is also necessary to provide information in the mother tongue, since not everyone has access to social networks and posters can be used to inform.
He added that we must educate and invest in health and vaccination. Asking for investment and not relying on donations.
He noted that due to political advantages, it is easier for the authorities to appoint a secretary, legal advisor or head of public services.
Lizette Perez, the union’s public relations secretary and a physician at San Juan de Dios General Hospital, reported that there are hospitals nationwide with a budget that doesn’t allow infrastructure, staff and supplies to thrive.
He added that the epidemic has exacerbated the situation, which is why they are calling for a re-adjustment of budgets, especially ministerial budgets, and to stop being of the third level.
Health should prioritize the first level of health for prevention, and this will result in patients not moving to the second or third level, said Beatrice Ramirez, a physician and surgeon at the District 1 health center of the capital. are hospitals.
He also requested that priority be given to communication in communities through health centers and centers, and hospitals will not reach this number of patients.
Sagastom added in another intervention that they plan to restructure the health system, because they want to prevent another epidemic from collapsing services.
Another proposal is to end vaccination for the target population and restructure levels of care because some hospitals have supplies that others do not.
He said the civil service law should have been changed several years ago. In addition, there is a shortage of specialized medical personnel, laboratories and reagents.
Francisco Lanoza, the union’s conflict secretary and San Juan de Dios doctor, said the pandemic had shown that the health system was poor.
He pointed out that there is no investment in hospitals, shortages in laboratories, and a constant shortage of qualified cadres.
He added that the problem must be solved in depth because there are cases in which a doctor treats 80 patients.
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He stressed that vaccination against Covid-19 should be at least 80% finished by next December and does not believe it will end in 2023.
“We need to unlock economic power and we will achieve it when we have at least 70% of people vaccinated,” he said.
According to the doctors, the COVID-19 virus affected outpatient consultations and had to increase the number of beds and the hospital budget.
They noted that the emergency law due to the epidemic will expire on December 31, and the appointment of individuals who are considering it will also expire.
The Ministry of Health has been consulted for the doctors’ reports, but no response has yet been received.
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