Member of Parliament (MP) Albina Marcal Freitas has expressed frustration at a health service employee who opened a private pharmacy at the Lospalos health centre, saying doing so has impacted on that staff member’s ability to attend to patients properly. 
MP Albina Marcal Freitas said the problem was raised with the Health Ministry last year but there had been no intervention until now.
MP Freitas said public employees are obligated to assist communities, and must not abandon their patients to sell medicine.
“The Minister should make a dispatch immediately for the health staff to not sell medicine at the health centre as it is sometimes sold when those employees should be working,”MP Freitas said.
Lautem district health director Julio Pereira recognized the issue but said it was not the fault of the health staff member.
“The pharmacy does not belong to the midwife but it belongs to her sister,”he said.
He said while the health centre has not taken action, he reminded staff that operating private businesses at a government facility contravened public service laws.
He said the midwife concerned would stop the operation.
The midwife had lived in that place since the time of the Indonesian occupation.
Health Ministry Sergio da Costa Lobo said he would send a dispatch to discharge the staff from that area.
Minister Lobo said he would coordinate with the public service to investigate instances of public servants being involved in businesses.
