Court of Auditors finds shortage of doctors at Aracaju health post.
The technical team from the office of Councillor Clóvis Barbosa, of the TCE, visited the Fernando Franco Emergency Care Unit (UPA), located in the Augusto Franco complex, in Aracaju, and found a lack of doctors; according to the report, although the pediatricians and the surgeon on duty were providing their services normally, the visit that took place last Tuesday (24) found the absence of two of the three general practitioners on duty, as well as the presence of an elderly patient hospitalized in critical condition for more than 19 days; given the case, the court will notify the Municipal Health Department, ordering it to immediately initiate Disciplinary Administrative Proceedings against the two professionals who were absent.
247 - Councilor Clóvis Barbosa de Melo, of the State Court of Auditors (TCE/SE), reported in the plenary session this Thursday, the 26th, the result of a visit made by his technical team to the Fernando Franco Emergency Care Unit (UPA), located in the Augusto Franco Complex, in Aracaju. The action was motivated by a complaint regarding possible restrictions on access to medical care at the unit.
According to the report, although the team of pediatricians and the assigned surgeon were providing their services normally, the visit that took place last Tuesday (April 24th) found the absence of two of the three assigned general practitioners, as well as the presence of an elderly patient hospitalized in critical condition for more than 19 days.
When contacted, the UPA management informed the TCE technicians that the professionals "only reported the absence shortly after 6:00 AM that day, that is, less than an hour before the initial scheduled time for service," the council member noted.
The report indicated that one of the doctors was already on the list of missing professionals in the technical visit report from January 2015, when the technical team from the 5th Coordination of Control and Inspection (CCI) made a series of 'surprise visits' to health units, including at night.
According to the advisor, the technical team was surprised during the visit to find that the professional had arrived at the establishment, requested a patient record form at reception, filled it out by hand, and asked the general practitioner present to sign it, subsequently handing it over to the Unit's coordination as a way to justify her absence.
The other doctor, according to the investigation, has repeatedly submitted 15-day sick leave certificates in recent months. A comparison of the payroll records from the City Hall and the Health Hospital Foundation (FHS) revealed that she has two employment relationships with the Foundation (one temporary and one through a competitive examination) and another with the City Hall (Simplified Process), totaling three public employment positions.
In light of these findings, the council member requested and obtained authorization from the Plenary to officially notify the Municipal Health Secretariat (SMS), ordering it to immediately initiate a Disciplinary Administrative Proceeding (PAD) against the two professionals, as well as forwarding a copy of the report to the State Public Prosecutor's Office, more specifically to the Operational Support Center for Health Rights, so that it may adopt the penal measures it deems pertinent.
The proposal to officially notify the Municipal Health Department (SMS) to make the necessary efforts to transfer the elderly patient hospitalized in critical condition to an ICU was also accepted, thus ensuring full effectiveness of the fundamental right to health.