Valencia’s Ministry of Health accused of failing to provide protection for frontline personnel during pandemic

Valencia’s Ministry of Health has been accused of failing to provide protection for frontline personnel during the Covid-19 pandemic.

THE health union CSIF has denounced the Conselleria de Sanidad for the alleged crimes of ‘misconduct by omission and negligent homicide,’ claiming health personnel were not given adequate protective equipment during the coronavirus crisis.

And the complaint will now be heard in the region’s Superior Court of Justice (TSJ).

A report from the Court of Instruction number 2 of Valencia, which has transferred the case to the higher court, states “the complaint should be admitted and referred to the Superior Court of Justice given the capacity of the person denounced,” adding the union’s “main mission is the defence of workers.”

CSIF said it considers the judicial decision to be “very positive,” since “both the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the investigating judge see signs of criminal responsibility when they refer the case to the TSJ to be assessed.”

On April 15, CSIF filed a criminal complaint against the Ministry of Health due to “the lack of protection for health care personnel,” reports Las Provincias.

The union explained in its complaint that “despite the recommendations of WHO, the declaration of international health emergency, the recommendations of the Ministry of Health in this regard and the writings presented by CSIF, the Ministry of Health incurred in an obvious inactivity.”

This it claims, caused the lack of protection of its workers by not providing them with the necessary material to address the pandemic, with the result, as of yesterday, 2,774 health service employees becoming infected.

Author badge placeholder
Written by

Tara Rippin

Tara Rippin is a reporter for Spain’s largest English-speaking newspaper, Euro Weekly News, and is responsible for the Costa Blanca region.
She has been in journalism for more than 20 years, having worked for local newspapers in the Midlands, UK, before relocating to Spain in 1990.
Since arriving, the mother-of-one has made her home on the Costa Blanca, while spending 18 months at the EWN head office in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol.
She loves being part of a community that has a wonderful expat and Spanish mix, and strives to bring the latest and most relevant news to EWN’s loyal and valued readers.

Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews

Comments