Paraguay
Yolanda Paredes questioned Isaías Fretes’ departure from the IPS and called for clarity on the crisis commission
The Cruzada Nacional senator raised concerns over Fretes’ move to the Ministry of Health before completing his term at the IPS. She also objected to Derlis León’s appointment and demanded a roadmap for the commission promoted in the Senate.
Senator Yolanda Paredes, of Cruzada Nacional, expressed concern over the appointment of Isaías Fretes as minister of Health, after the Executive Branch announced the departure of María Teresa Barán and her replacement, according to ABC Color.
According to that outlet, Fretes had been in charge of the IPS since April 22, after the removal of Jorge Brítez, who is now under indictment. He had taken office with the expectation of improving care for insured members and resolving the shortage of medicines, but was moved to Health amid the crisis over the lack of supplies and wage demands from the medical sector.
Paredes said she views with concern that Fretes is leaving the IPS without completing the work he had promised. According to ABC Color, the legislator said the public had expected changes at that institution and warned that the health crisis requires urgent decisions, although she considered that the new minister knows the situation.
The senator also questioned the appointment of Derlis León at the head of the IPS. Again according to ABC Color, she said his background is not encouraging and stressed that he was part of Brítez’s team. In that sense, she expressed concern over his alleged link to the handling of medicines within the social security system.
In addition, Paredes said they are awaiting the outcome of a meeting between the president of the Senate, Basilio “Bachi” Núñez, and President Santiago Peña to define what direction the crisis commission installed in the Upper House will take. The legislator said they were left off balance after a meeting between Barán and senators Noelia Cabrera and Lilian Samaniego together with a group of doctors, where an agreement was signed without representation from the Sindicato Nacional de Médicos, in parallel with talks with that union.
According to ABC Color, Paredes considered that move altered the ongoing negotiations and therefore called for a roadmap to know how the Senate commission will continue.
The senator also linked Barán’s departure to the message delivered by Horacio Cartes, president of the Partido Colorado, during the anniversary of the Asociación Nacional Republicana, in which he urged Peña to prioritize health. Even so, she said the then minister could no longer remain in office because of the deterioration in relations with the medical union. She also criticized her for not having addressed the health crisis for more than two months or received representatives of the sector, according to ABC Color.
Sources
About this note. Written by El Notero with assistance from artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not do its own reporting on this event.
