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Paraguay Hospital Trauma pediatric intensivists prepare mass resignation over pay, conditions Image: Gentileza
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Health & Science

Paraguay Hospital Trauma pediatric intensivists prepare mass resignation over pay, conditions

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
  • Nineteen of 21 pediatric intensivists at Paraguay's Hospital del Trauma will resign Monday, citing 14 years of frozen salaries and poor working conditions.
  • The resignations will leave the hospital, a national reference center for severe pediatric trauma, with only three specialists to cover its 8 beds.
  • Doctors also allege intimidation and threats of service outsourcing from hospital and health ministry officials.

The public health system in Paraguay faces a critical juncture as 19 of the 21 pediatric intensivists at the Hospital del Trauma prepare to submit their mass resignations on Monday. This drastic measure follows a pattern seen at the Acosta Ñu Hospital and highlights a deep-seated crisis in the nation's healthcare sector.

Up to now, we are 19 out of 21 pediatric intensive care specialists who are going to resign.

— Dr. Débora NúñezConfirming the mass resignation of pediatric intensivists at the Hospital del Trauma.

The specialists cite over 14 years of stagnant wages, a severe lack of basic medical supplies, and alleged intimidation tactics by hospital and Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare officials. Dr. Débora Núñez, one of the resigning physicians, confirmed the decision, stating, "Up to now, we are 19 out of 21 pediatric intensive care specialists who are going to resign." She added that the situation is dire, as the Hospital del Trauma is the sole national referral center for children suffering from severe polytrauma.

With the impending resignations, the unit's capacity will be drastically reduced. The hospital's intensive care unit has eight beds and is typically full, attending to over 270 children annually. The remaining three specialists will struggle to manage the constant demand. Adding to the professionals' grievances, they report being subjected to administrative controls, including being required to sign in every three hours and provide photographic proof of their presence.

They told us they are going to outsource the therapies and that way they will only spend more money on that than on listening to us.

— Dr. Débora NúñezDescribing alleged threats of outsourcing services by hospital management.

Furthermore, the doctors allege that instead of addressing their concerns, management has threatened to outsource the intensive care services. "They told us they are going to outsource the therapies and that way they will only spend more money on that than on listening to us," Dr. Núñez stated, emphasizing that hiring non-specialized personnel for intensive care units poses a direct risk to patient lives. The extreme shortage of supplies also forces families to frequently cover the costs of basic necessities for patient care.

We do our job well; we only ask for the restitution of purchasing power lost after more than 14 years without salary adjustments.

— Dr. Débora NúñezExplaining the doctors' core demand for salary increases.
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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