Dr. Pedro Arroyo Toribio Bencosme, director of the public hospital in Moca has been fired following a series of protests and strikes by staff in demand of better working conditions and better conditions for the patients.
The Deputy Minister of Public Health, Nelson Rodriguez, appointed Radhames Reyes as the new director. Arroyo, who had been in the post for around two years, was the object of a series of complaints about irregularities in health services provision and lack of medicines, as well as late payments of staff salaries.
The nurses and doctors have been on strike since Monday, 25 February. Meanwhile, a local community group, Los Peregrinos has been holding a vigil outside the hospital asking for Arroyo’s dismissal.
Nelson Rodriguez is promising that he will start to fund the improvements that the hospital needs.
Arroyo said that the hospital owes RD$24 million, of which RD$15 million is from the old administration. Many of the employees have not been paid for three months and some did not receive their double salary at Christmas.
Provincial governor Dilone Ovalles says that the hospital has too many employees.
www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2013/2/26/267485/Destituyen-director-del-hospital-de-Moca