Enrique Soto, the “thousand patient” doctor who died of coronavirus

Although he first consulted his mutualist for an asthmatic condition, the routine swab determined two weeks ago that he was infected with coronavirus and his health had deteriorated since the end of the week. This Tuesday, in the early hours, the Fosalba group of the SMU announces that its former leader and head of Cardiology of the Casmu died in Montevideo in the midst of the escalation of infections in the capital.

Passionate about medicine and literature, during his career he was also president of the Uruguayan Society of Cardiology, headed the National Resource Fund and was vice president of the State Health Services Administration (ASSE) during the administration of Beatriz Silva.

Former SMU president Julio Trostchansky, his colleague’s list mate for 15 years, prominent in dialogue with The Observer that Soto “does not need to be part of the academic world to excel in the modern practice of cardiology” and stated that he was one of those professionals who “accompanied thousands of patients, for years, and was highly desired.”

Hincha de Nacional, in its curriculum also your place, as much in the exercise of the profession as in its political activity, the fight against the cigarette.

Soto led the Tobacco Control Program and in 2016 was one of the leading spokesmen for the frenteamplista government to celebrate the international trial that the Uruguayan state won over Philipp Morris. He also promoted the implementation of a flat box of cigarettes to limit the distinction between tax frameworks and policies against tobacco marketing.

The tobacco company demanded Uruguay in February 2010 for alleged periods arising from the regulations that Vázquez implemented as a way to combat tobacco consumption. Philip Morris alleged that Uruguay violated several points of the country’s bilateral investment treaty with Switzerland since 1998, but the ruling of the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) ratified Uruguay’s health policy and indicated that the tobacco company should pay $ 7 million for attorneys’ fees and costs.

In the medical field, Soto promoted the constant updating of knowledge and was in favor of the recertification of professionals, as a way of measuring skills in the face of advances in medicine. “I remember that in his offices he always had the latest medical cardiology articles with specialty magazines or reports,” Trostchansky said.

Political life: the FA and Fosalba

In the Frente Amplio, Soto militated in the Christian Democratic Party and in 1989, after the breakup of this community with the left-wing coalition, he joined the Vertient Artiguista, where he participated in the health commission of the sector. and was alternate senator.

“He contributed his experiences as a humanist doctor to the elaboration of the Integrated Health System, one of the good insignia of the progressive government. He never asked for anything in return for his delivery. I practice fasting rhetoric and teaching humanistic service “, recorded the former minister of tourism frenteamplista Héctor Lescano in a Facebook post.

Meanwhile, Socialist Senator Daniel Olesker described him as “a builder of health care reform,” both Health Minister Daniel Salinas and National Health Director Miguel Asqueta also recorded Soto in their social networks.

You have also highlighted your participation in the trade union policy of doctors. “He was one of those leaders who bring together trade union activity and a very outstanding professional activity. It was of medical doctors who practiced the profession and that exercise allowed to transfer to the fields of medical representation the problem and to propose solutions ”, will register Trostchansky.

The current president of the Casmu, Raúl Rodríguez, met Soto 30 years ago in the disappearance of the mutualist Pasteur, where one was a cardiologist and the other an emergency doctor. Several years later, the faces were seen again in the Casmu and in the trade union activity, representing different medical currents.

One of the moments they shared as managers was in 2009 when, in the midst of an institutional crisis, the Casmu split from the Medical Union.

Rodriguez recorded that in this and other instances, despite the differences, the cardiologist “acted very well as a mediator.” “We could disagree because we are in different positions but there was a possibility of reaching agreements to get things going,” he told the record that Fosalba’s referent was vice president of Casmu and he served as treasurer.

The Fosalba Group, the majority line in the current management of the SMU, maintains on Twitter that the cardiologist “was part of the history and the very essence of the group.” Meanwhile, in 2016 the union awarded him the guild merit and in the professional exercise.

Before his death, the family called on those closest to him to avoid sending wreaths. Instead, they asked that that money be destined for the popular Hurricane Pot of the Sand Pass *.

His son Marcos Soto, director of UCU Business School, said goodbye with a letter and an endless hug.

* Funds are received in the Abitab 114089 account.