In the province of Río Negro, a doctor was reported for performing liposuction on his wife without authorization at the Villa Regina hospital. The professional used supplies and the only operating room of the public institution, as well as occupying a hospital bed for 24 hours. The operation took place on January 12, but the case recently came to light, generating outrage among both patients and authorities at the medical center.
According to the report, Fernando Martínez entered the hospital on a Sunday when he was not on duty and performed liposuction on his wife that lasted eight hours in the hospital's operating room. Local media reported that the doctor requested the help of a local surgical assistant, who refused to participate in the surgery, forcing Martínez to bring in a private one.
The situation caused growing discontent among Martínez's colleagues, as the operating room where the operation was performed is the only one available in the hospital, which would have prevented any other emergencies requiring its use. Following the first report to the Justice, the director of the medical center, Pablo Romera, filed a new accusation with the provincial Ministry of Health.
Health Minister Demetrio Thalasselis announced that all documentation has been submitted to the State Prosecutor's Office for appropriate legal actions. Romera, for his part, issued a statement expressing his anger over the incident, describing it as a violation of medical rules and protocols, as well as an affront to the austerity and effort that characterize the Villa Regina community.
"I hope that necessary measures are taken to prevent such events from happening again and to restore trust in our health center," Romera concluded in his statement.