Paraguay Economy Minister: Medical Sector's Salary Demands 'Impossible to Comply With'

Paraguay's Economy Minister Óscar Lovera has declared the medical sector's demands for a 76% salary increase, which translates to approximately three million guaranis per medical position, as "impossible to comply with." The minister emphasized that meeting this demand would require extraordinary disbursements exceeding $100 million, a sum that the national budget cannot sustain given its current rigid spending structure.

Lovera made these remarks before entering a Senate Finance and Budget Committee meeting, detailing the significant financial impact of acceding to the striking medical professionals' request. He reiterated that the current budgetary situation prevents any immediate commitment to salary increases for the public health sector or other public employee unions facing similar demands.

“

They are with a request made, in this case, for a salary adjustment of 76 percent they speak of, which is more or less, it would be three million guaranis per link in the medical sector. That we are talking about an adjustment that would mean a little more than one hundred million dollars for the budget. The reality today, understanding a bit the composition and structure of the rigid spending that we have today, this request in itself is impossible to comply with for us.

Instead of broad salary adjustments, Lovera proposed channeling the medical sector's aspirations through the consolidation of a healthcare career path. This approach would link compensation to performance evaluations, professionalization, and specialization, aiming for a gradual restructuring rather than generalized increases. He noted that this issue affects not only medical professionals but many other public servants.

The minister also addressed a proposal by Senator Gustavo Leite to cut nearly 500 billion guaranis in "superfluous expenses" to allocate funds for medicines and medical supplies. Lovera confirmed that the executive branch is evaluating the institutional impact of such cuts before making a decision.

“

It is a reality that affects not only the medical sector, it is a reality that affects many sectors of public service. And that we should think about it in a vision much more of a career than of a salary adjustment, because generalized salary adjustments are what end up linking the gaps between income and expenses.