79 physicians flee from Tabasco because of insecurity

In the face of the insecurity problems lived in Tabasco, 79 specialized doctors with federal posts have requested to the National Health Workers Union (SNTSA) their transfer to the state of Yucatan or Mexico City.

The General Secretary of the 48th Section of the SNTSA, Jorge Herrera Pérez, exposed that the insecurity has reached workers of health centers located in the municipalities of the Chontalpa region, such as Nacajuca, Huimanguillo, Cárdenas, Comalcalco, Paríso, Cunduacán and Jalpa de Méndez, as well as Teapa, located in the mountain chain of the state.

“Unfortunately, we have had insecurity problems, especially in Teapa and Chontalpa, where health providers have been robbed, kidnapped, or beaten, and in the end, we are common workers, our salary is not that high,” said Herrera.

He stated that the insecurity is such, that they have moved 27 physicians and nurses. “When we find out that certain unit has been penetrated and workers slapped and abducted, then we move them.”

The secretary assured that this problem has aggravated for the last 9 months and that now “we have a lot of petitions from federal workers who ask for their transfer because of the insecurity.”

Juan Carlos, a general practitioner, said that he has been threatened many times, so he changed his work days and routes to not be a victim of criminals, like some of his co-workers who have been robbed.

“In one occasion a police was shot, and we had to close the health center because there were rumors about hit men coming to finish him and there was no security. Not even his own colleagues wanted to look after him, fearing the arrival of an armed group,” he commented.

According to the Executive Secretariat of the National System of Public Security, during the first 4 months of the year, there have been 19.644 common crimes in Tabasco, a number that represents an increase of 3.7 percent in comparison to the same months of the year 2016, when 18.917 cases were registered. In addition, the numbers indicate that so far this year, there have been 115 intentional homicides, 63 of which were perpetrated with firearms.

The Secretary of Health, Rommel Cerna Leeder, said to EL UNIVERSAL that considering the insecurity situation, the Secretariat is conducting a study “to decrease work hours, especially at night, so that without compromising the attention to the people, we can take actions for the benefit of our workers."

mr