Suture with plastic ties: Health Ministry responds to alleged medical negligence in Santaní

Paraguay's Ministry of Public Health has launched an investigation into allegations of medical negligence at the District Hospital in Santaní, following a complaint by the family of an 80-year-old man. Ramón Galli Otazú, from Yataity del Norte in the San Pedro department, was treated at the hospital after a traffic accident on the previous Friday.

His children reported that plastic ties were allegedly used to suture a severe leg wound that required urgent surgical intervention. The accident resulted in a significant open wound on his right leg, as documented by the hospital's records. The family's claim has prompted a formal response from the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare.

The ministry announced the formation of a multidisciplinary medical audit team, which will travel from Asunción to the Santaní hospital. The team's objective is to thoroughly evaluate the actions taken and the quality of care provided to Otazú, who is currently hospitalized at the General Hospital of Santa Rosa del Aguaray. The ministry stated that if any irregularities or failures to follow current protocols are found, appropriate administrative and legal sanctions will be applied. The audit results will be communicated with complete transparency.

Dra. Zulma Cabrera, the director of the Santaní District Hospital, assured that the hospital administration would cooperate fully with the ministry's team to clarify the procedures performed on the patient. She mentioned that Dr. Carlos Sánchez, the traumatologist who treated Otazú, confirmed that plastic ties are indeed used for suturing severe wounds with large openings. The investigation aims to determine whether the use of such materials in this specific case adhered to established medical protocols and standards of care.