The Minister of Health terminated the functions of Claude Panero this Thursday morning during the CHPF Board of Directors. She herself had previously announced her departure to the managers of the Hospital Center. The director of the Paofai Polyclinic, Claude Drago, is one of the candidates expected to succeed him.
Claude Drago has headed the Paofai Polyclinic since 2017. Contacted by TNTV, he did not wish to comment.
Claude Panero faced, as director, the most serious health crisis in contemporary Polynesia: the Covid pandemic, which shook the fenua and in particular the hospital between 2020 and 2022.
The CHPF also faces recurring budgetary difficulties and human resources difficulties: due to a lack of attractiveness, it struggles to recruit and then retain certain specialist doctors, for example in oncology. More than half of the staff stay on the job for less than a year.
Claude Panero also faced a collective resignation last May from his department heads, refused by the president of the country. An effort of 69 positions (plus 27 in the Vital Emergency Reception Service) was then promised by the Minister of Health Cédric Mercadal.
In addition to these human resources problems, a major real estate project to reassign spaces awaits the future director.
Claude Panero can, however, welcome an outcome: the 2030 establishment project was voted on by the Board of Directors this Thursday morning, after several weeks of difficulties in understanding between the administrative, financial and health services.
