Brazilian municipal inquiries probe health contracts and salary irregularities

Municipal parliamentary inquiries in Brazil are investigating allegations of financial and administrative irregularities in Patos de Minas and Novo Hamburgo.

In Patos de Minas, a parliamentary commission (CPI nº 02/2026) is examining health service contracts managed by the Consórcio Intermunicipal de Saúde do Alto Paranaíba (CISALP) between 2021 and 2026. Municipal Controller Moisés Ávila testified regarding an audit of over R$ 15 million in expenses. The audit identified approximately R$ 4 million in payments lacking robust documentation of service delivery. Key findings include the misuse of functions, where staff contracted for “Control and Evaluation” were instead performing “Regulation” duties, such as managing patient waitlists. Additionally, there is a lack of evidence regarding the actual hours worked by professionals on 12 to 72-hour shifts.

In Novo Hamburgo, a separate inquiry regarding “double salaries” is investigating Finance Secretary Michele Vargas Antonello for payments received between February 2025 and July 2026. The commission recently faced internal friction over a decision to allow Antonello to testify remotely while on vacation, a move some council members characterized as an affront to the inquiry.