Vacunagate in Ecuador: the Minister of Health resigned after being accused of having vaccinated relatives and relatives

The Minister of Health of Ecuador, Juan Carlos Zevallos, resigned from his post on Friday amid a scandal over the provision of the Covid-19 vaccine to people who were not part of the priority demographics.

“There are those who only see the mistakes. I respect that opinion. I I prefer to remember the Minister who accepted the difficult task of leading the country’s health in the worst health crisis Ecuador and the world are experiencing, and who, with work and sacrifice, helped save hundreds of thousands livesPresident Lenin Moreno said on Twitter when breaking the news.

In a letter published by the sovereign at the bottom of his message, Zevallos submitted his irrevocable resignation from the post he had held for eleven months “in view of the current political situation, and in order to allow the continuity” of the vaccination plan, which started in January.

The Moreno administration faces strong questions about the delay in importing the vaccine. “The country demands that the national government responds to incompetence that it has shown that it is facing the health crisis, ”the Ombudsman’s Office said in a statement.

Zevallos, a doctor and professor who took office during one of the worst times of the pandemic in Ecuador, is questioned by an alleged influence peddling, after several of his relatives, including his 87-year-old mother, were vaccinated with the first doses imported by the government.

The prosecution has opened an investigation into complaints of this nature.

An honest person “

Since January, Ecuador has received nearly 42,000 doses of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech to immunize frontline medical staff, as well as retirement homes, according to the plan of the government, which assumed exclusively their purchase.

Zevallos, who may also be called for impeachment by the National Assembly, admitted thatAnd “several” of his relatives received the dose, sparking criticism even from medical staff.

The Ombudsman’s office said it hoped that Moreno designates “a prepared and honest person” as the new Minister of Health and that he will ensure that Zevallos “responds criminally for influence peddling and issues a public apology” for his “ineffectiveness”.

Critics escalated when it emerged that Academics and political veterans, journalists and sports leaders have also been considered for vaccination. Zevallos stressed that the list “is confidential”.

A social security administrative official was fired for being one of the first people to be vaccinated.

On Twitter, Moreno said: “They have NOT received the vaccine: my father (94 years old, my mother died a long time ago), my daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren, brothers, mother-in-law (88 years old, my father-in-law died), in-laws, in-laws. “

The country, with 17.4 million inhabitants and among the most affected in Latin America by the pandemic, it has recorded 281,169 cases (1,616 per 100,000 people) and 15,669 deaths.

The Moreno government, which will end on May 24, claims it has negotiated the purchase of 20 million doses of anticovid vaccines, including two million from Chinese Sinovac and whose acquisition was announced Thursday by the former minister.

Ecuador will also receive vaccines from the British AstraZeneca, the American manufacturer COVAXX and the Covax initiative of the World Health Organization.

With information from AFP

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