The Canoas University Hospital (HU) current account has been unlocked. This occurs after a decision by the Colatina Labor Court, of the Regional Labor Court of the 17th Region, in Espírito Santo. The order, published late in the afternoon of Thursday, 14th, was communicated by the HU Intervention by the City of Canoas.
The health institution’s account has been blocked since February 19th. The obstacle resulted from problems related to the hospital’s former manager, Fundação Educacional Alto Médio São Francisco (Funam), which became a defendant in a labor action in Espírito Santo. Since May 2022, the City Hall has operated the management of the HU while carrying out a new tender for the selection of a management company.
“With the lifting of the blockade, around 1.2 million retained in the coffers will be returned” explains the Secretary of Finance of Canoas, Luis Davi Vicensi. The Municipal Attorney General’s Office worked on efforts to release the account and, thus, reestablish the hospital’s financial flows.
Financial crisis was announced in February
On February 27, the acting mayor of Canoas, Nedy de Vargas Marques, alongside the Secretary of Finance, Luis Davi Vicensi Siqueira, the Municipal Secretary of Health, Jurandir Maciel and the directors of the three hospitals in Canoas, presented the numbers references that indicated a crisis in the City Hall’s public accounts. The meeting took place at the Municipal Palace.
With data collected up to February 20th, the previous survey by the economist and head of the Finance department showed that a financial deficit increased from R$154.5 million to R$421.9 million, from 2022 to 2023.
Numbers presented
The budget deficit (revenue minus expenses) predicted in the Municipality is R$499.7 million. In other words, the City Hall could reach, at the end of 2024, with cash in the red by almost R$1 billion.
Among the data collected by the financial study are possible impacts on constitutional health and education indices. In the 2023 fiscal year, Canoas invested 23.32% in health, exceeding the minimum of 15% required by law. In Education, one of the pillars of any administration, the investment percentage was 16.73%, while the minimum required was 25%.
