In a really unusual story that has lengthy preoccupied Portugal, Portuguese police at present raided the well being ministry and the nation’s largest hospital as a part of their investigation into whether or not authorities officers broke the regulation by granting privileged entry to a expensive medical remedy to twin infants, whose dad and mom had requested the president of Portugal for assist.
The legal professional common’s workplace stated authorities are investigating whether or not crimes comparable to perfidy, abuse of energy and aggravated fraud have been dedicated. The survey has additionally been prolonged to social service places of work, different well being services and personal residences. The federal government officers who’re suspected weren’t named, nor was it made clear whether or not President Marcelo Rebelo de Souza was concerned.
The high-profile case dates again to 2019-20, when the twins, who have been born in Brazil and have been then aged 15 months, got Zolgensma – one of many world’s costliest medicine – at Lisbon’s Santa Maria Hospital. This remedy value the state roughly 4 million euros.
Zolgensma is used to deal with infants and toddlers underneath 2 years of age who’ve spinal muscular atrophy, a uncommon and severe inherited illness.
The twins’ mom later stated in an interview that after a health care provider was reluctant to manage the drug, she used her “contacts” to hurry up the method, and that a kind of contacts was the president’s daughter-in-law.
Rebelo de Souza confirmed that his son contacted him and spoke to him concerning the want for remedy for the kids, however denies any involvement within the case.
Treating the twins has turn into a serious concern, not solely as a result of it was costly but additionally as a result of different sufferers who had requested the drug might have been bypassed. The anti-immigrant, populist Chega social gathering has criticized the president and the well being ministry over the problem and is establishing a parliamentary committee to look into the case.
A hospital spokesman stated it will cooperate with authorities. The spokesman for the Ministry of Well being confirmed the investigation, however shunned giving additional particulars.
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