TCE audits Hospital da Criança in São Luís over management concerns

The Maranhão State Court of Accounts (TCE-MA) has launched an audit of the Hospital da Criança Dr. Odorico Amaral de Matos in São Luís. The investigation follows a request from the Public Prosecutor's Office to examine potential management failures in the contract between the São Luís City Hall and the Instituto Brasileiro de Medicina Especializada (IBMED), which manages the facility.

Surprise inspections were conducted during the early morning hours of August 15 and 16. Auditors focused on the hospital's three pediatric intensive care units (ICUs), which comprise 29 beds. The audit aims to investigate several allegations, including an increase in mortality rates following changes to the management model, potential flaws in the bidding process, and concerns that some professionals assigned to high-complexity pediatric ICUs may lack the necessary technical qualifications.

During the initial visits, teams mapped environments, checked structural capacity, verified staff schedules, and conducted interviews. They also inspected the storage of medications and medical materials. The TCE stated that this is an initial phase and further visits, including during shift changes, will be conducted to consolidate evidence.