**Excessive Payments and Medicine Destruction in Baja California’s Health Services: A Controversial Audit**
In a recent audit by the Superior Audit Office of Baja California, significant irregularities have been uncovered in the 2022 financial accounts of the State’s Public Health Services Institute (Isesalud), which oversees health service contracts in Tijuana and Rosarito. The investigation found substantial overpayments amounting to tens of thousands of pesos for maintenance work that was either inadequately done or not done at all. Among the discrepancies, the report highlights payments for non-existent installations of wall tiles and incomplete fence repairs at the health centers of Cañón del Padre and Playas de Rosarito.
The audit also revealed unexplained financial transactions in the rehabilitation of the General Hospital of Mexicali’s laboratory area, including 36,990 pesos paid in irregular financing costs and duplicate charges for cleaning services. This led lawmakers to reject Isesalud’s 2022 financial report.
Furthermore, Isesalud’s dealings with maintenance services for its medical equipment were found lacking, with payments totaling over 313,000 pesos unaccounted for due to missing service documentation from facilities in Mexicali. In terms of medication procurement, the institute bypassed public bidding procedures, allocating contracts worth nearly 57 million pesos through direct adjudications.
The audit disclosed discrepancies in physical stock and accounting records of medical supplies, citing significant shortages and surpluses. The quantities of expired medications destroyed remained uncertain, further complicating the management of a reported inventory valued at over 178 million pesos by the end of 2022.
The controversy intensified with accusations of negligence as healthcare facilities reported shortages of crucial medications, drawing legal action against Isesalud’s Secretary. Additionally, the audit found substantial failings in tax compliance concerning the Income Tax for employees, alongside unauthorized personnel hiring and an unexpected overshoot in the personnel budget.
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**Further Developments: Public Health Challenges Continue**
Amid ongoing health service concerns in Baja California, recent updates indicate that the uncovered irregularities are part of a broader issue affecting public healthcare efficacy. Reports now suggest that similar financial mismanagement has manifested in other regional health departments, with ongoing shortages of critical medications like cancer treatments and diabetes medication heightening public distress.
These shortages have spurred action from concerned parties, as several policy advocates and political figures rally for comprehensive reform and enhanced oversight in the allocation and management of healthcare resources. The malfunction in administrative processes and procurement has prompted calls for federal intervention to safeguard the well-being of affected residents and restore public confidence in health services.
Local health institutions are reportedly implementing interim measures to mitigate immediate medication gaps but stress the necessity of substantial, systemic changes to address the root causes of current inefficiencies and restore the state’s capacity to deliver reliable health services.