“I think Judge Carlos Alexandre, given his proven track record in various cases he has been involved in, is the right person,” stated André Ventura. “However, the issue is not the name itself, and I hope the Government is not trying to use the name as an excuse to do nothing and cover up its incompetence, because Judge Carlos Alexandre will need the commission to have the means to exercise oversight.”
In an interview to be published over the weekend, André Ventura highlighted that this issue is significant, noting that every year there are diversions of funds in the health sector exceeding one billion euros. He concluded that there is ongoing corruption, embezzlement, exploitation, and waste.
Ventura emphasized the necessity of resources and political will to combat this, stating that “the PS and PSD governments often create commissions, like the anti-corruption mechanism of António Costa’s government, but then they do not provide resources or personnel, making them ineffective not because of incompetence but due to lack of means.”
“I hope the Government does not repeat this pattern. On the other hand, it will depend on whether the Government truly has the political will to address this issue,” Ventura asserted, suggesting that such efforts might touch on sensitive areas and require determined political will.
Health Minister Ana Paula Martins confirmed today the appointment of Judge Carlos Alexandre as the head of the Commission to Combat Fraud in the National Health Service, stating he will assume the role by the end of this year, pending approval by the Council of Ministers.
Carlos Alexandre has been involved in high-profile cases such as the Operation Marquês and the BE case.
The Commission to Combat Fraud in the National Health Service will include permanent members from the Judiciary Police, the Inspectorate-General of Health Activities, the Inspectorate-General of Finance, and Infarmed.
The commission is tasked with centralizing, coordinating, and executing strategies for preventing and detecting fraud within the National Health Service, focusing on medical actions, prescriptions, purchases, contracts, and hospital procedures.
The Government aims to save 800 million euros during the term, as reported by Jornal de Notícias.
The commission will annually define priority areas and the activity plan, which will be approved in the first half of January and submitted to government officials responsible for Justice and Health.
