MP takes action against the Government of Minas to avoid a stoppage at a hospital in Montes Claros

With less than two months left until the end of the contract with temporary professionals, the Clemente de Faria University Hospital (HUCF), linked to the State University of Montes Claros (Unimontes), runs the risk of being left with a deficit of 555 workers. The contract ends on June 30th and, according to the Public Ministry of Minas Gerais (MPMG), the health unit is at risk of paralyzing urgent and emergency services.

Because of this, the MPMG filed a public civil action against the State of Minas Gerais, Unimontes and the Municipality of Montes Claros to take action to avoid the interruption of services.

Today, the University Hospital serves patients from 86 municipalities in the North of Minas Gerais under the “open door” system for various specialties. In other words, it serves as a reference for emergency care for residents of the region who require urgent and emergency services.

For MPMG, the interruption of care due to a lack of professionals could have an impact on the entire health system in the municipality.

“The insufficient number of professionals to carry out the services they are responsible for in the public health network, combined with the absence of hospital providers who have the capacity to carry out the work under the responsibility of the HUCF, compromises the urgency and emergency network to the point of interfere with the operational capacity of other hospitals in Montes Claros”, says an excerpt from the action.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, four meetings were held, but there is no consensual solution on the case. Therefore, the MP asked the Court to determine that both the Government of Minas and Unimontes, which belongs to the state, present an action plan by May 30th, one month before the contracts end.

The case was sent to the 1st Civil Court of the District of Montes Claros, which said it was “incompetent” to judge the matter, recommending that the MP file a lawsuit in the Public Finance Court, according to judge Cibele Maria Lopes Macedo.

To the report, the Government of Minas said it would not comment on the matter.