Paraguay
Peña Removed Barán Amid the Health Crisis and Avoided Detailing the Reasons
The president said the departure of the health minister had been under review for some time, but did not specify the reasons. After her replacement by Isaías Fretes, the government reached an agreement with the doctors' union.
Paraguayan President Santiago Peña said that Teresa Barán’s departure from the Ministry of Health had already been under review for some time, although he did not explain the specific reasons for the decision, according to Última Hora.
According to that outlet, the change came at a time of strong tension in the health system over the announcement of a strike by the doctors’ union. Barán was replaced by Dr. Isaías Fretes, and an official proposal was then presented that made it possible to defuse the labor action.
Peña spoke of Barán in complimentary terms and described her as a friend and a colleague, while stating that it was time to make way for a new stage with Fretes.
According to Última Hora, the agreement reached with the doctors includes a salary increase of G. 2 million per position for contracted and permanent staff at the Ministry of Public Health, the formalization of 2,300 contracted doctors, and payment of G. 1 million for each public holiday actually worked.
The implementation of that improvement will be phased in: G. 500,000 in April, another G. 500,000 in July, and an additional G. 1 million in December.
Still according to Última Hora, Peña said the resources to cover the agreement are not yet available, although he expressed confidence in the work of lawmakers reviewing the budget. He also said the health sector’s claim has been ongoing for 14 years and highlighted investments in hospital infrastructure, supplies and medicines.
Sources
About this note. Written by El Notero with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not conduct its own reporting on this event.
