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 Sindicato
Médico del Uruguay
Health in this small South American Country
Uruguay is a small South American country which lies between
Argentina and Brazil. The capital is Montevideo, city on the shores
of de la Plata River. This country is a democratic and independent
Republic from 1825, with 3,3 million inhabitants and 178.000 sq.
kms.
 The
health system in Uruguay is divided into two big sectors: one
public and free which covers more than 1,5 million people and
the other sector is private and prepaid mixed with social security
including about 1,3 million people.
During the last four years, the economy in the country and the
region has been touched by a hard recession which has reduced
the GNP, increased unemployment and deteriorated the quality of
life of the inhabitants with significant sectors suffering poverty,
particularly the children. Last year, due to a regional and local
financial crisis changes were made to the economy which had severe
consequences for the social services, particularly health care.
2,500 physicians lost their jobs in Montevideo only, and many
public and private institutions were forced to put an end to their
activities.
This private sector crisis resulted in less people insured who
then turned to the public sector, which operates with a reduced
budget. This has put a heavy load on the public health services,
health professionals have asked for an increase of salary and
better working conditions. 50% of physicians working for the public
sector (about 2.000) get a salary of US$100 monthly. This situation
created a long conflict in July, August and September 2003. As
a result of this better salaries are being payed.
The Sindicato Médico del Uruguay, organisation of physicians
legally authorised to practice medicine, was founded in 1920.
Among its goals are to maintain the highest ethical and academic
standards in the practice of medicine and to implement all recommendations
of the WMA Declarations.
We are currently organising with colleagues all over the country
the 8th National Medical Convention, a representative meeting
to discuss and try to find solutions to the problems in the national
health system.
The SMU has been member of WMA since 1959 and it is the headquarters
of the Confederación Médica Latinoamericana y del
Caribe (CONFEMEL), representative body of physicians in the region.
Among its goals are the friendship and cooperation links with
medical organisations of the world and in particular of Latin
America.
Sindicato Médico del Uruguay (SMU) Officials
Dr. Marcos Carámbula (President)
Dr. Gerardo Eguren (Vice President)
Dr. Alarico Rodriguez de Leon (Secretary)
Dr. Antonio L. Turnes (General Administrator)
Address and contact numbers of the SMU:
Br. Artigas 1515
Montevideo - Uruguay
Telephone number: 40 14 701
Fax: 409 16 03
e-mail: secretaria@smu.org.uy
website: http://www.smu.org.uy
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URUGUAY