Opposition MPs in the Chamber said the case of the suspended surgeon Dr Philippe Wilmes required the maximum possible clarification and transparency. Last week, members of the Green Party had filed a request with the Minister of Health to bring together the health committee as quickly as possible to discuss the case, leader Sam Tanson confirmed. The whole case is damaging to the healthcare sector and is affecting patient trust in their medical care. At this stage, it is impossible to judge who is right and what went wrong, Tanson continued, adding that the case absolutely must be analysed by an independent expert.
The Left’s Marc Baum asked why it had taken so long to get to this point and questioned whether the correct procedure had been followed. He underlined that the accusations of fraud were very serious. In addition, the case has an added political dimension due to the surgeon’s support for a private clinic project in Findel, and thus his support for liberalisation and privatisation of the Grand Duchy’s healthcare system. Baum added that it must not go unnoticed that the surgeon was a negotiator for the DP’s coalition agreement. These political aspects must be discussed in the Chamber and MPs would have to examine what value the coalition agreement still has, Baum concluded.
Mars Di Bartolomeo of the LSAP declined to express clear thoughts on the matter, but said the authorities analysing the case could differentiate between the surgeon’s political engagement and his conduct as a doctor. Di Bartolomeo pointed at his party colleague Paulette Lenert’s motion, filed last week, calling for quality control. He said he could not understand why the DP and CSV declined to vote in favour of the motion. In this case, he explained it was not a disagreement between the government and the opposition, but should be about commitment to patients.
