In Paraná, Brazil, orthopedic surgeon Lucas Saldanha Ortiz has been sentenced to ten years in prison for unlawfully requesting payments from patients for surgeries that were to be covered by the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). The cases against him, reported by the 4th Public Prosecutor's Office of Toledo, identified 11 occurrences where Ortiz solicited payments ranging from R$50 to R$200, claiming these fees were necessary for services like anesthesia that were supposed to be fully funded by the public healthcare system. The sentencing was finalized in late 2022 by Judge Murilo Conehero Ghizzi, with the public announcement made on March 10, 2023.

The allegations presented in court stemmed from Ortiz's actions between 2015 and 2017, targeting both patients and their family members during consultations and surgeries in Toledo's hospitals. The unjust demands for payment highlight a serious breach of medical ethics and could potentially undermine public trust in the health system, which is designed to provide free healthcare to all Brazilians. The defense attorney, Simone Serrano Elias, has stated that they are appealing the decision, indicating that the legal proceedings surrounding this case are not yet closed.

This case is emblematic of broader issues within Brazil’s healthcare system, where disparities between public and private services can lead to unethical practices. It raises concerns about oversight and accountability in the SUS framework. Allowing such practices to go unchecked could lead to increased corruption within the public healthcare sector, further exacerbating inequalities and jeopardizing patient care in a country where adequate access to health services is already a critical issue.