Surgery director faces investigation over irregular payments
The Inspectorate-General of Health Activities (Inspeção-Geral das Atividades em Saúde or IGAS) is investigating Eurico Castro Alves, the surgery director at Hospital de Santo António in Porto, for allegedly receiving 179,000 euros in irregular commissions. The payments were linked to surgeries performed outside normal working hours under the Integrated System for Management of Waiting Lists for Surgery (Sistema Integrado de Gestão de Inscritos para Cirurgia or SIGIC). While the IGAS report deems the payments irregular, both the doctor and the local health unit maintain that the compensation was legal.
IGAS is the Inspectorate-General for Health Activities (Inspeção-Geral das Atividades em Saúde or IGAS), the government body that inspects and audits public and private health services, investigates complaints and can recommend sanctions or changes. After reported failures in emergency care, IGAS can open inquiries, publish findings and advise the Ministry or the SNS on corrective measures; residents and patients can also file complaints that IGAS may investigate.
The Integrated Management System for Surgery (Sistema Integrado de Gestão de Inscritos para Cirurgia or SIGIC) is a national platform used to manage waiting lists for surgeries within the public health system. It tracks patient wait times and helps coordinate procedures between different public hospitals and private clinics to ensure patients receive care within established legal timeframes.
