Latin America: vaccination advances 1:16
(CNN Spanish) -
The Ministry of the Interior of Peru reported this Wednesday about an operation that dismantled an organization that allegedly charged up to US $ 20,000 to relatives of patients with covid-19 to change the waiting shift and give them priority in access to a bed in the intensive care unit of a public hospital located in Lima.
According to the state-run Agencia Andina, the operation of the Police and the Public Ministry against the gang called "Los Ángeles Negros" was carried out in four districts of the capital: La Molina, San Miguel, Magdalena and Breña.
The authorities intervened different buildings and have so far arrested nine people.
CNN does not know if they already have legal representation.
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The anti-corruption prosecutor, Reynaldo Abia, told the media that they received a complaint from the public that allowed them to verify different communications, such as text or voice messages.
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"The sanction has to be drastic and we have to cut corruption at all levels"
CNN contacted the press department of the Social Health Security of Peru (EsSalud), which is in charge of the management of the Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen National Hospital.
They indicated that they referred to the statement published on their social networks in which they indicated that they promoted the complaint to the authorities after receiving a testimony.
They added that they have collaborated with the investigation and that, once the hospital learned of these events, it dismissed the employees allegedly involved in April from their positions and initiated administrative and disciplinary processes.
PAHO: 1 of 10 Latin Americans, vaccinated against covid-19 0:42
"The management of the Almenara benefits network rejects all kinds of acts of corruption and invokes the insured and their families to report similar cases that could contribute to the investigations of these irregular events," the note concluded.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Óscar Ugarte, expressed his support for the work of the Police and the Prosecutor's Office, at the same time that he described as "abominable" the fact that charges are made to obtain intensive care beds.
"The sanction has to be drastic and we have to cut corruption at all levels," he said in statements to América TV.
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