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Ex-Maldonado Blood Center Director Blames National Service Head After Dismissal
🇺🇾 Uruguay /Economy & Trade

Ex-Maldonado Blood Center Director Blames National Service Head After Dismissal

From El País · (14m ago) Spanish Critical tone

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Dr. Jorge Curbelo, former technical director of the Hemocentro de Maldonado, held a press conference after his dismissal.
  • Curbelo stated that the decision to cut the budget did not come from ASSE's board but from the director of the National Blood Service, Liria López.
  • He defended the Hemocentro's management model, highlighting its economic impact and commitment to providing blood to anyone in need, regardless of their healthcare affiliation.

The recent dismissal of Dr. Jorge Curbelo from his position as technical director of the Hemocentro de Maldonado has sparked significant controversy, as detailed in this report from El País.

They did not make any decision to lower the budget. I am convinced that they were not aware.

— Jorge CurbeloCurbelo stated that the ASSE board was not responsible for the budget cuts.

Dr. Curbelo, speaking at a press conference, pointed fingers not at the national health services administration (ASSE) board, but directly at Liria López, the director of the National Blood Service, for the decisions that led to his ousting. He asserted that the ASSE board was likely unaware of the budget reductions, suggesting the directive originated from a "different level of decision."

This was a resolution of the executing unit to which we belong, from the director of the National Blood Service, Liria López.

— Jorge CurbeloCurbelo identified Liria López as the source of the decision leading to his dismissal.

What makes this situation particularly galling for those who supported Curbelo's tenure is the Hemocentro's proven success. Curbelo himself highlighted the center's impressive economic contribution, generating between $700,000 and $1 million annually through exchanges. This financial self-sufficiency, coupled with a steadfast commitment to treating all patients equally – a principle Curbelo emphasized by stating, "Blood is a public good. I never asked anyone if they belonged to a mutual insurance company or the public system" – makes the decision to remove him seem all the more questionable.

Everything starts from the National Blood Service. It is an internal problem that was not resolved through dialogue.

— Jorge CurbeloCurbelo explained that attempts at dialogue had been unsuccessful.

Furthermore, Curbelo raised concerns about the process itself, lamenting the lack of dialogue and opportunity to explain his position before the decision was made. He also defended operational adjustments, including the use of overtime hours and a high proportion of outsourced staff, as necessary measures to maintain the center's functionality under challenging circumstances. The defense of the Hemocentro's management model, which he described as a "health policy without partisan flags" created in 2009, underscores a belief that the institution's operational integrity and public service mission have been undermined.

I don't understand why I wasn't called, why I wasn't given the opportunity to explain anything. I had no dialogue with those who made the decision.

— Jorge CurbeloCurbelo expressed frustration over the lack of due process.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El País in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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