This Friday, the PSD asked the Government for data on the home inspection, considering that a “preventive action” is necessary, as well as the determination of responsibilities in the case of alleged negligence in the treatment of an elderly woman in a home in Boliqueime.
In a request addressed to the Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, the Social Democrats repudiate “the subhuman conditions”, denounced by various media, in which an elderly woman was institutionalized in the Santa Casa da Misericordia de Boliqueime, Loulé (district of Faro ). ), who, however, died.
It is absolutely essential that public entities, in the various aspects of their action, are vigilant and ready to intervene to avoid these less dignified or inhumane situations for our fellow citizens, especially for the most fragile and vulnerable, that is, the elderly. But, more than a reactive action, a preventive action is required”, defends the PSD.
Although an investigation opened by the Public Ministry is already underway, the PSD parliamentary group wants to investigate “not only the circumstances in which the alleged mistreatment of the elderly woman occurred, and determine the possible responsibilities, but also determine the regular operation of this Residential Structure for the Elderly (ERPI), a situation that must be reviewed by the Social Security Institute”.
The Public Ministry investigates the case of an old woman with an open wound and covered in ants
In the questions addressed to the Government, the PSD deputies want to know how this Institute monitors the functioning of the ERPIs in the social, solidarity and private sectors, “that is, in terms of the number of visits, the regularity/periodicity and what are the follow-up rules. ”.
“What is the number of inspection actions carried out by Social Security in the ERPI, in the years 2020 to 2022? And how many cars were lifted? And how many shutdown orders were issued for lack of operating conditions? And how many culminated in the closure of the ERPI?” ask the Social Democrats, in the request addressed to Minister Ana Mendes Godinho.
Specifically regarding the case now denounced, the PSD also wants to know how many follow-up visits and inspection actions have been carried out to the ERPI of the Santa Casa da Misericordia de Boliqueime in the last three years, as well as its conclusions of consequences, requesting the Government to make available the reports resulting from these actions.
“On what date did Social Security become aware of the case in question? What steps did the Social Security Institute take, and when, to determine possible responsibilities for what happened and now denounced by the media and, above all, to prevent new situations from happening?
On Thursday, the Minister of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security, Ana Mendes Godinho, defended that this case should be “investigated to the last circumstances” and called for the denunciation of similar situations.
The official said that Social Security had had a complaint “earlier this month and shortly after the complaint the investigations it is carrying out were triggered,” and there is also a “participation by the Public Ministry.”
The Public Ministry “is investigating the reported facts, having determined to carry out a medico-legal autopsy as part of an investigation that has been initiated at the appropriate time,” confirmed the Attorney General’s Office, after being questioned by Lusa.
Several media outlets released a video, which circulated on social networks, in which an 86-year-old woman is seen lying on a bed with dozens of ants in various parts of her body. The old woman died a month after this episode, which occurred last July..
For its part, the Santa Casa da Misericordia de Boliqueime announced, through the social network Facebook, that it had opened an investigation to determine responsibilities in the alleged case, which it described as “serious negligence.”
The private institution of social solidarity indicated that the “disciplinary investigation” was determined after learning of the video shared on social networks denouncing the case.
Source: Observadora
