Wikipedia

Zulema Tomás

Elizabeth Zulema Tomás Gonzales (born 4 July 1962) is a Peruvian cardiovascular anaesthesiologist. She served as the country's Minister of Health from 7 January to 15 November 2019.

Zulema Tomás
Minister of Health of Peru
In office
7 January 2019 – 15 November 2019
PresidentMartín Vizcarra
Prime Minister
Preceded bySilvia Pessah
Succeeded byElizabeth Hinostroza
Personal details
Born
Elizabeth Zulema Tomás Gonzales

(1962-07-04) 4 July 1962 (age 62)
Lima, Peru
Education
OccupationPhysician, educator

Early years

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Zulema Tomás was born in Lima on 4 July 1962, the daughter of a member of the National Police of Peru. She attended Alipio Ponce School in Barrios Altos for her primary and secondary education.[1]

She is a cardiovascular anesthesiologist by profession from the Federico Villarreal National University (UNFV). She holds a doctorate in medicine and a master's in health administration and hospital management from the same university.[2] She also has a master's degree in education, and a mention in research and higher teaching from the Hermilio Valdizán National University [es] (UNHEVAL).[3]

She has taught at UNFV and at the Faculty of Human Medicine of Ricardo Palma University (URP).[3]

Professional career

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Work experience

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Tomás was general director of the National Institute of Children's Health [es] (INSN) of Breña from June 2014 to March 2015, and CEO of San Borja's INSN from April 2015 to January 2019.[2][4]

In 2017, she led the regional nutritional program "Como en Casa", which was nominated for a Best Practices in Public Management award in the Maternal and Child Nutrition category.[5]

She has also been a member of the Body of Public Managers of the National Civil Service Authority (SERVIR).[2]

Minister of Health

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On 7 January 2019, Tomás was sworn in as Minister of Health during the government of Martín Vizcarra, replacing Silvia Pessah, who had resigned due to personal problems.[5]

On 23 February 2019, the government published the Supreme Decree approving the law that regulates the medicinal and therapeutic use of cannabis and its derivatives (No. 30681), establishing the objective of guaranteeing the fundamental right to health and allowing access, exclusively for medicinal and therapeutic use.[6]

On 17 April 2019, after former President Alan García shot himself in the temple and was transferred to Casimiro Ulloa Hospital [es], a medical team led by Tomás took over his care, diagnosing a bullet impact, entry, and exit in the head, and later giving details of his death after suffering a brain injury.[7][8]

On 15 June 2019, the government published the modification of the Regulation of Law No. 30021 on the Promotion of Healthy Eating for Children and Adolescents, a rule that established the use of front labeling in all processed and ultra-processed products that are high in sugar, sodium, saturated fat, and those that contain trans fat. By means of Supreme Decree No. 015-2019-SA, published in the official newspaper El Peruano, octagon-shaped labels were made compulsory in order to provide health information to all citizens. This took effect 17 June 2020.[9]

On 3 September 2019, Tomás was called to testify before the Congressional Health Commission regarding the scarce provisioning of incubators in the Regional Hospital of Lambayeque and Honorio Delgado Hospital in Arequipa, where 30 and 63 newborn babies had recently died, respectively.[10] Similar complaints were made in Huancayo, Cusco, and Trujillo. In an interview with the press, the minister confirmed the death of 1,200 babies throughout the year, and her willingness to give the corresponding explanations to Congress.[11]

On 15 October 2019, the University Community Mental Health Center (CSMC) at the National University of San Marcos was inaugurated, with the objective of providing mental health care services to more than 50,000 students and 10,000 teachers.[12]

On 30 October 2019, the government announced the promulgation of Emergency Decree (DU) No. 007-2019, which allowed the population to access affordable generic drugs, biological products, and medical devices at public and private drug stores and pharmacies.[13]

Resignation after allegations of nepotism

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On 15 November 2019, Tomás resigned after serious allegations of nepotism in the hiring of her husband by the National Superintendency of Public Registries [es] (SUNARP),[14] and failing to declare on her CV that her sister, Edith Tomás, had worked at the Potable Water and Sewerage Service of Lima (SEDAPAL) for four years.[15][16]

On 17 November 2019, the journalistic program Panorama [es] revealed that Tomás had hired Luz Parra Galván, the mother of her son's partner, as head of teaching and research at the María Auxiliadora hospital through a ministerial resolution.[17] It was also announced that when Tomás took office, the woman's father, Mariano Alarcon Guevara, who also worked at the Maria Auxiliadora hospital, was given a 15-day suspension rather than a dismissal he had incurred for misconduct under the previous management.[18]

Post resignation

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On 30 January 2020, Tomás was hired as an advisor to the General Directorate of the National Children's Institute.[19] On 28 March, her daughter Fiorella Palomino confirmed that Tomás had tested positive for COVID-19 while working during the pandemic.[20]

References

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  1. ^ Vivas, Fernando (30 January 2019). "Para que no nos duela: un perfil de la ministra de Salud Zulema Tomás" [So That it Doesn't Hurt: A Profile of the Minister of Health Zulema Tomás]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 February 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Andina (8 January 2019). "Zulema Tomás Gonzales: La nueva ministra de Salud del Perú" [Zulema Tomás Gonzales: Peru's New Minister of Health]. América Economía (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Elizabeth Zulema Tomás Gonzáles: Hoja de vida de la nueva Ministra de Salud" [Elizabeth Zulema Tomás Gonzáles: CV of the New Minister of Health]. Educación En Red (in Spanish). 7 January 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Zulema Tomas asume la Dirección General del Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño San Borja" [Zulema Tomas Takes Office as General Director of the San Borja National Institute of Children's Health] (in Spanish). San Borja National Institute of Children's Health. 22 April 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  5. ^ a b "El perfil de la nueva ministra de Salud" [The Profile of the New Minister of Health]. Caretas (in Spanish). 7 January 2019. Archived from the original on 2 February 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Decreto Supremo que aprueba el Reglamento de la Ley Nº 30681, Ley que regula el uso medicinal y terapéutico del Cannabis y sus derivados" [Supreme Decree That Approves the Regulation of Law No. 30681, Law Which Regulates the Medicinal and Therapeutic user of Cannabis and its Derivatives]. El Peruano (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  7. ^ Ortiz Paredes, Bryan (17 April 2019). "Ministra de Salud sobre Alan García: 'Su estado es muy grave'" [Minister of Health on Alan García: 'His Condition is Very Serious']. Diario Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  8. ^ Barreto, Roberto (26 April 2019). "Zulema Tomás sobre Alan García: 'Hicimos todo lo posible para salvarlo'" [Zulema Tomás on Alan García: 'We Did Everything Possible to Save Him']. La República (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Bodegas podrán vender alimentos sin octógonos hasta junio del 2020" [Markets Will Be Able to Sell Food Without Octagons Until June 2020]. Gestión (in Spanish). 16 June 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  10. ^ "1.200 bebés fallecidos y Minsa dice que no es solo por incubadoras" [1,200 Deceased Babies, and MINSA Says it is Not Only Because of Incubators]. La República (in Spanish). 4 September 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  11. ^ Cisneros, Silena (3 September 2019). "Minsa: En lo que va del año han fallecido 1,200 bebés prematuros" [MINSA: 1,200 Premature Babies Have Died So Far This Year]. Perú.21 (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Centro de salud mental de la UNMSM atenderá a 50 mil usuarios" [UNMSM Mental Health Center Will Serve 50 Thousand Users]. La República (in Spanish). 16 October 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  13. ^ "Gobierno aprobó decreto para promover consumo de medicamentos genéricos" [Government Approves Decree to Promote the Consumption of Generic Drugs]. Gestión (in Spanish). 30 October 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  14. ^ "Ministra Zulema Tomás niega 'intercambio' de favores por contratación de su esposo en Sunarp" [Minister Zulema Tomás Denies 'Exchange' of Favors for Hiring of Her Husband at SUNARP] (in Spanish). Radio Programas del Perú. 4 November 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Zulema Tomás renunció a su cargo como ministra de Salud" [Zulema Tomás Resigns From Her Post as Minister of Health] (in Spanish). Radio Programas del Perú. 15 November 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Zulema Tomás: Omisión de declaración jurada no debe mancillar al Gobierno" [Zulema Tomás: Omission of Declaration Should Not Sully the Government]. Diario Correo (in Spanish). 15 November 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  17. ^ "Los descubrimientos que provocaron la renuncia de Zulema Tomás" [The Discoveries That Led to the Resignation of Zulema Tomás] (in Spanish). Panamericana Televisión. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  18. ^ "Zulema Tomás nombró a madre de la pareja de su hijo en jefatura del hospital María Auxiliadora" [Zulema Tomás Named the Mother of Her Son's Partner as Head of the Maria Auxiliadora Hospital]. Diario Correo (in Spanish). 18 November 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Zulema Tomas es otra vez implicada en trueque de favores" [Zulema Tomas is Once Again Implicated in Bartering Favors]. Diario Correo (in Spanish). 27 February 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  20. ^ "Coronavirus Perú: Exministra de Salud, Zulema Tomás dio positivo para Covid - 19" [Coronavirus Peru: Ex-Minister of Health, Zulema Tomás, Tests Positive for COVID-19]. El Bocón (in Spanish). 31 March 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
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