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🇵🇾 Paraguay /Health & Science

More Public Health Resignations: 30 Neonatologists Leave Paraguay’s Itauguá National Hospital

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Thirty neonatologists at Itauguá National Hospital submitted resignations to Paraguay’s Health Ministry while seeking a 3 million-guaraní salary increase for each 12-hour contract.
  • The resignations involve about 55% of the hospital’s neonatologists and follow 70 earlier resignations by pediatric intensive-care specialists.
  • Neonatology chief Nora Irala cited pay, staffing conditions and shortages of basic supplies, including disinfectant gel.

Thirty neonatologists at Itauguá National Hospital have submitted their resignations to Paraguay’s Health Ministry, deepening a dispute over pay and working conditions in the public health system.

The resignations were filed on Friday morning at the ministry’s registry. The doctors are demanding an increase of 3 million guaraníes for each 12-hour contract. Nora Irala, head of Neonatology at the hospital, delivered the resignations and said her colleagues supported the decision.

It is one of the most difficult things I have had to do so far. I feel their support, and all these people are behind this. It is for the common good.

· Nora IralaThe head of Neonatology explained why she submitted her resignation with dozens of colleagues.

“It is one of the most difficult things I have had to do so far. I feel their support, and all these people are behind this. It is for the common good,” Irala said.

Irala said the hospital’s Neonatology service has 78 contracts, with the resignations submitted Friday accounting for 34 of them. She said the 30 resignations represent about 55% of the hospital’s neonatologists, including her own resignation. The action follows 70 resignations previously submitted by pediatric intensive-care specialists.

This is not easy, it is an enormous responsibility; everyone here has a family, debts and a lot at stake.

· Nora IralaIrala described the personal and financial pressures facing the doctors.

Irala said the doctors face major responsibilities, including families, debts and other financial commitments. She also criticized President Santiago Peña, lawmakers and public spending, arguing that health professionals’ work should be valued. “I want to tell the president, deputies and senators that our work is valuable and matters, and that their actions are what should outrage the people,” she said.

She also linked her resignation to what she described as shortages and precarious conditions in Neonatology. The service, she said, struggles to obtain even basic supplies, including disinfectant gel.

I want to tell the president, deputies and senators that our work is valuable and matters, and that their actions are what should outrage the people.

· Nora IralaShe criticized national authorities while calling for greater recognition of health workers.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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