The Hospital General de Itapúa (HGI), known as Gran Hospital del Sur, has accumulated a debt of more than nine months with the outsourced company responsible for feeding patients and staff. The contract, signed through a national public tender (ID 453.853, number 133/24) from the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare (MSPBS), was awarded to Grupo Belmac SA, represented by Carlos Atilio Carlson Capli, María Alejandra Carlson Capli, and Rosa Mabel Capli de Carlson. The estimated value of the multi-year contract is G. 9,902,880,000, valid until December 31, 2026.
The service includes the supply of about 1,000 daily meals, distributed across five meals: breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner. The company set up a kitchen inside the hospital and employs approximately 50 workers for food preparation and distribution.
Since the HGI opened on July 25, 2025, only two invoices have been paid, leaving a balance of more than nine months without payment. Despite the situation, the company stated it will not interrupt supply to patients, recognizing the sensitivity of the area. However, it is considering reducing portions and suspending distribution to employees and doctors to ease the financial burden while the hospital fails to settle payments.
President Santiago Peña and Vice President Pedro Alliana highlighted, in October 2025, the hospital's outsourced food model, noting the variety and quality of the menus offered to patients.
The director of HGI, Dr. Juan María Martínez, did not detail the measures to be adopted to resolve the debt. The hospital's construction, approved and started during the government of Mario Abdo Benítez in 2021, had an investment of G. 275,493,027,119 and was executed by Consorcio Hospitalario del Sur, composed of Sociedad Constructora del Chaco SA, Constructora Díaz Martínez, ASCENT SA (formerly Barrail y Hermanos SA), and Estructura Ingeniería SA (EISA).
HGI has 160 inpatient beds, 70 emergency beds, 72 intensive care beds, 58 offices, 9 surgical rooms, 18 chemotherapy chairs, and 20 dialysis units.