Honduran health official questions Medical College's 'antagonistic' stance amid payment disputes

Honduras' Deputy Health Secretary, Eduardo Midence, has responded to allegations that doctors have gone unpaid for five months, asserting that ongoing dialogue with various health sector unions has led to consensus. Midence stated that while payments have been processed, some specific cases require individual attention, often due to doctors failing to update their personal or banking information.

Midence specifically questioned the Honduran Medical College's current opposition to the government's health policies. He noted that the Medical College had initially participated in the decree of a sanitary emergency, making their current "totally opposite and antagonistic" narrative puzzling. He emphasized that the Ministry of Health and the Honduran Institute of Social Security (IHSS) comprise more than just the Medical College, including nurses, technicians, and other health worker unions with whom significant agreements have been reached.

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The curious thing is to know how, as a professional association and defender of its affiliated doctors, they are forming a totally opposite and antagonistic narrative to what this government has been doing.

The Deputy Secretary assured that there is political will to improve the healthcare system, citing progress in treating kidney and cancer patients, as well as clearing long-standing surgical backlogs. Regarding the payment issues, Midence reiterated that disbursements have occurred but explained that some doctors have not updated their administrative details, while others, whose temporary contracts have ended, continue to submit timesheets without regularizing their status, complicating payment processes.

Midence urged affected physicians to individually approach the Ministry of Health to resolve their situations, reaffirming the government's commitment to dialogue and collaboration with all stakeholders in the health system. He stressed that the government is actively working to improve the sanitary system and highlighted advancements in patient care and surgical procedures that had been delayed.

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We cannot be calling one by one by name. We have doctors who have not updated their bank details, others with hourly or shift contracts who have not come to update their information.