Transition calls meeting after MEC cuts threaten care at university hospitals

A member of the Health and Education working group of the elected government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) decided to meet to outline strategies in case the cuts in the Ministry of Education (MEC) paralyze services in federal university hospitals.

In all, there are 30 hospitals like these spread across the country, not counting those at state universities. Together, they add up to at least 14,000 fellow medical residents.

According to members of the transition group, the MEC passed on information that there is no budget forecast for the payment of these health professionals in December, which could lead to the interruption of the services provided.

“The situation is very critical. An immense concern, which can trigger the Unified Health System”, he told the CNN former minister Arthur Chioro, coordinator of the Health WG.

Members of the Education WG said that the matter was discussed this Monday (5th), at a meeting of representatives of the Lula government with the current minister of the portfolio, Victor Godoy. There is still a concern about the area’s budget for 2023.

This Wednesday (7), the Health and Education working groups of the transition cabinet will debate the matter.

Understand cuts in the MEC

At the end of November, the Ministry of Education announced that it had about R$ 1.4 billion from the portfolio blocked by the Ministry of Economy. The expectation is that at least R$ 350 million will be cut from federal universities and institutes.

According to the Economy, the contingency was made so that the government could pay R$ 2.3 billion more in Social Security and after the suspension of the provisional measure that postponed to 2023 the transfer of R$ 3.8 billion in aid to the cultural sector of the Aldir Blanc Act.