Ecuador: President to slash salaries of high level govt employees to fund medical specialists

telesurtv.net reported the country’s President said will slash high level public servant wages – including his own – to fund 2,000 medical specialists. Plan is to reduce significantly reduce maternal mortality

The Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa announced Saturday that he will make a reduction on high-ranked public servants salaries — including his own — in order to fund more than two thousand physicians as part of an intensive health campaign aimed at reducing maternal mortality.

“Everything is planned, the problem is the money, this corresponds to current expenditure and things have to be done gradually,” President Correa said Saturday, adding that the country needs more specialists, especially gynecologists, anesthesiologists and nurses.

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According to Correa, the 10-15 percent reduction will represent about US$ 21 millions, which will go to the country’s Health Ministry. Those impacted by the cut will include the president, vice president, ministers, members of the Council for Citizen Participation as well as public servants who earn more than US$6,000 per month. Read Article