Minister says she will analyze alleged conflict of interests at ULS in Gaia-Espinho

The Minister of Health said this Tuesday that she will evaluate “with all due care” the alleged case of conflict of interest regarding one of the nurses appointed by the Government to the administration of the Gaia-Espinho Local Health Unit (ULS).

Ana Paula Martins' reaction comes after IL leader Rui Rocha denounced the situation on Monday.

Liberal Initiative denounces conflict of interests in the new administration of ULS Gaia-Espinho

“This comment by the president of the Liberal Initiative is a matter that I will naturally look at and evaluate with great care, but for now I have no further comment to make, ” he said.

The minister was speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the opening of a photography exhibition — open until April 5 — about the healing process, as part of the 45th anniversary of the National Health Service (SNS), at the Júlio de Matos Hospital, in Lisbon.

On Monday, Rui Rocha highlighted that the issue at hand is nurse Belmiro Rocha , appointed last Thursday as a member of the administration of the ULS of Gaia-Espinho.

The IL leader indicated that Belmiro Rocha will have participated as a witness in a lawsuit filed by a “company that manages car parks against the public management” of ULS Gaia-Espinho, whose administration he now belongs to.

“I ask: is this normal? Is it acceptable to make an appointment like this when there is a clear conflict of interest with the public interest? When there is someone who has testified against the public interest? I believe that all of this should be the subject of reflection and questioning with the Ministry of Health ”, he argued, considering that “all of this seems like a very strange move, without criteria”.

“I really ask what interests lie behind all this? Because there is already so much turbulence in the management of these units and now the Ministry is replacing everything, everything is done haphazardly, without criteria, people are appointed who, apparently, have a conflict of interests with the interests of the State”, he said.

Stressing that, before replacing the administration of the ULS of Gaia-Espinho, it “had good results and was functioning” , Rui Rocha accused the Minister of Health, Ana Paula Martins, of “introducing turbulence” in the management of local health units throughout the country.