Loaded with bewilderment, anguish and uncertainty, dozens of patients and members of the PAMI they approached all morning at the front door of the Spanish Hospital. Some because they had shifts assigned, or scheduled for the next few days; others because they have relatives interned there. All looking for information and certainties. A red and white banner warned that the hospital had been closed for various irregularities. And after a morning of fights and confusion, during the afternoon it became known that after a meeting between the PAMI and the Government Control Agency it was agreed that if a work plan to resolve the objected points , One could decide one preventive lifting of the closure.
after an inspection ordered by JusticeIn response to a complaint made after two fires last year, the Government Control Agency (AGC) concluded that “70% of the building was not in working condition.” With this evaluation this control body of the City closed the hospital and forced the PAMI to perform derivations emergency to care for its affiliates.
The conflict could begin to resolve this Wednesday. From the PAMI issued a statement stating that, following a complaint made to the Justice, the Government Counter Agency (AGC) “committed to lift the lock hospital on Wednesday, March 17 “.
For their part, government sources explained that representatives of the PAMI, the head of the AGC, Matías Lanusse, the Catalan Ombudsman involved in the bankruptcy of Espanyol and representatives of the infrastructure sector took part in the meeting. from the hospital. And they stated that it was agreed that, to the extent that it is presented a work plan, the Buenosairean being will evaluate if it decides one preventive lifting of the closure. In addition, they clarified that the building will be able to return to work as soon as progress is ascertained.
According to the authorities of the social work, in the place it is taken care of a 71 thousand people of legal age. It is also the largest referral center for COVID patients in the city, said Luana Volnovich, president of PAMI. He detailed that in these hours 26 surgeries, 680 shifts, the care of 93 cancer patients and 8 who had to undergo chemotherapy treatments were scheduled.
In this context, the PAMI reported that all spontaneous on-call consultations will be referred to Milstein Hospital, Former French hospital, located a few blocks from Espanyol, in La Rioja 951. “While life-threatening surgeries are scheduled, will be carried out in the hospital. Outpatient shifts and radiotherapy service for cancer patients were rescheduled. And in the next few hours members will be contacted through the telephone helpline for set new shifts “, Spokesmen reported the social work. As it is not clear what will happen with the closure this Tuesday afternoon, it is likely that on Wednesday the hospital will not operate at its usual pace.
The head of the PAMI, Luana Volnovich, at the door of the Spanish Hospital, which was closed by the Buenos Aires government and triggered a political fight. Photo: Guillermo Rodríguez Adami
As for the people who are hospitalized, from the PAMI clarified that will not be transferred: “We need very specific logistics, a protocol that is also going through the pandemic. Relatives must be informed and more authorized,” they said.
The Spanish Hospital is going through a deep economic conflict and has deteriorated for decades. On this occasion, the AGC found an unfeasible establishment at the level of the infrastructure. As reported by the body, there were no emergency lights in the means of exit; there was also no registration or maintenance of the fire facilities; were encountered with electrical installations with exposed and molten cables; lack of maintenance (and maintenance logging) on 12 elevators, forklifts, and thermal tanks; found 3 tanks of 25 liters of diesel in the subsoil. And they concluded that 70% of the building -of 11 floors and 2 basements- “Not in working order”.
In addition it is taken part by Justice. As Volnovich explained, the PAMI “is co-administrator of the hospital and works permanently in conjunction with the trustee” in charge. “The summons is perfect because that’s what an audit department has to do. For us this helps us, it’s them (the AGC) who in theory have to use their knowledge to ensure the safety of people “, The official told the media.
Confusion among PAMI members over the closure of the Spanish Hospital, which was closed after a Buenos Aires government inspection. Photo: Guillermo Rodríguez Adami
The hospital building belongs to the Spanish Association of Mutual Aid, who inaugurated it on December 8, 1877. But medical care is in the hands of PAMI. In fact, the members of the Spanish Hospital who until December 2019 had preferential care to keep their GPs and specialists, stopped having this benefit and were left without medical coverage.
Therefore, as far as he could tell Clarín, There were lifelong partners who, to keep their usual doctors, did change of address from Province to Capital to serve as PAMI affiliates. Many of them were noted by their parents, Spanish immigrants, when they were born. And they were never erased. Until the hospital fell into crisis, it accumulated debts and ended up managed by PAMI.
Dolors González is 82 years old and has always cared for the Spanish, because she has been a member since she was born. “I have a shift for Wednesday, I called to confirm and they told me that today and tomorrow they do not attendBut call early Wednesday to see if the hospital works, “he told Clarín. He added: “I was unable to attend to a transfer for a year. I returned last year as a PAMI affiliate and found it better, cleaner and tidier. And when I get my orders I appear as a former partner. so I have my whole medical history and my usual doctors there. “
The hospital was born like “Spanish Room of Commerce and Asylum of Charity” in 1852. It was the first Spanish grouping that settled in the country and that welcomed in the enormous migration that came from Spain; a migratory wave that intensified in the late 1800s and early 1900s. For those years, immigrant communities also founded other hospitals, such as the Italian, German, and British. With different complexities, they moved on. All three offer their own health plans. There were others that sank, such as that of the Portuguese and Israeli communities. As the French, like Espanyol, was also absorbed by PAMI.
SC