Hearing on irregularities and possible corruption at Cuenca’s IESS hospital provides few answers

Questions about irregularities and possible corruption at Cuenca’s José Carrasco Arteaga Social Security hospital were met Tuesday with evasive answers and requests to respond in writing. The questions came from National Assembly members from Azuay Province following complaints from patients, workers and employees of the hospital.

National Assembly members expressed frustration Tuesday at the lack of answers about problems at Cuenca’s IESS hospital. (El Mercurio)

“Ask me in writing,” was the response hospital General Manager Héctor Martínez gave repeatedly to questions about lack of supplies, nepotism, poor patient care, vending machine contracts and mistreatment of employees.

Other hospital officials and employee Rosa Argudo, head of the IESS workers’ union, also insisted that they be questioned in writing on multiple occasions.

Frustrated by the lack of answers, Assembly members Adrián Castro, Sofía Sánchez, Leonardo Berrezueta, Diego Matovelle and Gustavo Jara, gave hospital management 10 days to provide full answers to all questions and 20 days to report how problems will be fixed.

Among the reports the hospital must provide are: a plan to end shortages of medicines and surgical supplies; an accounting of fees paid to the union and how they are spent; contract details with vending machine companies; and disclosure of members of the same family employed at the hospital.

Some of the sharpest questions were aimed at union leader Argudo who admitted that five of her family members worked at the hospital. She denied that she had relationships with vending machine companies and asked to respond in writing to the question of how she was able to purchase nine properties in Quito on her salary of $1,295 a month.

IESS Provincial Director Esteban Villa said he was awaiting copies of the vending machine contracts, which he ordered removed last week. “Like you, I am waiting for information about this that might suggest personal enrichment by some employees,” he said in response to a question from Castro.

Villa said he has requested the Comptroller’s Office investigate the vending company contracts. “I have also filed a complaint with the prosecutor’s office. If any wrongdoing is found, those responsible must face the law.”

Hospital Medical Director Héctor Martínez admitted there have been “a number of cases” of medical malpractice and poor patient care but said the cases are under review with resolutions expected soon.

Martínez denied there was “persecution” of doctors who staged a June 17 sit-in to protest conditions at the hospital. “It is not true that I dismissed anyone for protesting,” he said. “Any termination of working contracts was the result of unrelated matters.”

Like Argudo, Martínez denied any knowledge of vending machine contracts.