Daniel Salinas

{{short description|Uruguayan neurologist and politician}}

{{family name hatnote|Salinas|Grecco|lang=Spanish}}{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Daniel Salinas

| term_end2 =

| occupation = {{hlist|Neurologist|Politician}}

| alma_mater = University of the Republic

| alt =

| caption = Daniel Salinas in 2020.

| office = Minister of Public Health of Uruguay

| term_start = 1 March 2020

| term_end =

| president = Luis Lacalle Pou

| predecessor = Jorge Basso

| successor = Karina Rando

| term_start2 =

| image = DanielSalinas.jpg

| term_start3 =

| successor2 =

| term_end3 =

| birth_name = Julio Daniel Salinas Grecco

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|2|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = San José de Mayo, Uruguay

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Open Cabildo

| spouse =

| children =

| awards =

| image name =

| termend = 13 March 2023

}}

Julio Daniel Salinas Grecco (born 17 February 1962) is a Uruguayan neurologist and politician of Open Cabildo (CA), who served as Minister of Public Health of Uruguay from 1 March 2020 to 13 March 2023.{{Cite web|title=Nuevos secretarios de Estado firmaron Libro de Actas ante el flamante presidente, Luis Lacalle Pou - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooPQZWiJoGI&t=268s|access-date=2021-01-09|website=www.youtube.com}}

Graduated from the University of the Republic in 1988, he has the degree of Doctor of Medicine. In 2008 he obtained a bachelor's degree in neurology.{{Cite web|last=ElPais|title=Daniel Salinas, hombre cercano a Manini, para el Ministerio de Salud Pública|url=https://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/politica/daniel-salinas-hombre-cercano-manini-nombre-suena-ocupar-msp.html|access-date=2021-01-09|website=Diario EL PAIS Uruguay|language=spanish}} In 2012 he obtained a master's degree in Health Business Management from the University of Montevideo and in 2018 a master's degree in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the University of Barcelona. He also has a Diploma in Sleep Medicine from the Faculty of Medicine of Latin American Center for Human Economy (CLAEH).{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Biography of Minister Salinas|url=https://www.gub.uy/ministerio-salud-publica/institucional/estructura-del-organismo/daniel-salinas|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602060646/https://www.gub.uy/ministerio-salud-publica/institucional/estructura-del-organismo/daniel-salinas |archive-date=2020-06-02 |access-date=|website=}}

After leaving government service, on April 10, 2023 it was announced that Salinas would take up the position of dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Catholic University of Uruguay.{{Cite web |last=Magallanes |first=Agustin |last2=Gonzalez |first2=Rocio |date=2023-04-10 |title=Daniel Salinas será el nuevo decano de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud de la Universidad Católica |url=https://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/politica/daniel-salinas-sera-el-nuevo-decano-de-la-facultad-de-ciencias-de-la-salud-de-la-universidad-catolica |access-date=2023-05-20 |website=EL PAIS |language=en}}

Early life

Raised in San José de Mayo, he is the eldest son of two teachers; his father was chairman of the San José Department of Teaching Union.{{Cite web|last=Observador|first=El|title=Daniel Salinas: "No es justo que me juzguen por Martín Gutiérrez"|url=https://www.elobservador.com.uy/nota/daniel-salinas-no-es-justo-que-me-juzguen-por-martin-gutierrez--201912152160|access-date=2021-01-09|website=El Observador}} He started working at the age of thirteen mending shoes in his hometown.

Career

In the practice of medicine, he worked in different health centers, such as the Círculo Católico de Obreros del Uruguay, Central Hospital of the Armed Forces and Casa de Galicia. Between 2012 and 2018 he served as head of the Electroencephalography Service at Vilardebó Hospital, while between 2009 and 2019 as manager of Material Resources of the Uruguay Medical Union Assistance Center (CASMU).

Minister of Health

Salinas was appointed Minister of Public Health on December 16, 2019, as a member of a party that makes up the electoral alliance, Coalición Multicolor.{{Cite web|title=Lacalle presentó su gabinete ministerial: conocé todos los nombres|url=https://www.montevideo.com.uy/Noticias/Lacalle-presento-su-gabinete-ministerial-conoce-todos-los-nombres-uc738684|access-date=2021-01-09|website=Montevideo Portal|language=es}} He took office on March 1, in replacement of Jorge Basso.{{Cite web|last=Uruguay|first=Presidencia de la República Oriental del|title=Nuevos secretarios de Estado firmaron Libro de Actas ante el flamante presidente, Luis Lacalle Pou - Presidencia de la República|url=https://www.presidencia.gub.uy/comunicacion/comunicacionnoticias/ministros-firma-libro-actas-luis-lacalle-pou-plaza-independencia|access-date=2021-01-09|website=Presidencia de la República Oriental del Uruguay|language=es-ES}}

= Coronavirus pandemic =

{{Main|Coronavirus disease 2019|COVID-19 pandemic|COVID-19 pandemic in Uruguay}}

The COVID-19 pandemic emerged within the first days of the administration. The first cases were reported on 13 March 2020 by the Ministry of Public Health.{{cite web|date=15 March 2020|title=A brand-new challenge|url=https://www.elobservador.com.uy/nota/un-desafio-inedito-202031321363|access-date=|publisher=El Observador|language=es}} On March 14, public performances were canceled and some public places were closed.{{Cite web|last=ElPais|title=Gobierno suspende clases en todo el país durante dos semanas por coronavirus|url=https://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/politica/gobierno-suspende-clases-pais-semanas-coronavirus.html|access-date=2021-01-09|website=Diario EL PAIS Uruguay|language=spanish}} Local transmission was established with two non-imported cases reported on 15 March.{{cite news|title=Pacientes contagiados con coronavirus tienen entre 55 y 60 años; uno solo 35|language=spanish|work=Diario EL PAIS Uruguay|url=https://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/salud/confirmaron-casos-nuevos-coronavirus-son-ocho-total.html|accessdate=19 March 2020}} The first patients showed mild symptoms of COVID-19.{{Cite web|date=13 March 2020|title=MSP confirma primeros casos de coronavirus en Uruguay|url=https://www.180.com.uy/articulo/82897_confirman-primeros-casos-de-coronavirus-en-uruguay|accessdate=13 March 2020|language=Spanish}}

When Salimas left the role of minister he noted that he was leaving politics. He had found the attention by anti-vaccine groups upsetting when he was called a "genocidal traitor". He was replaced by Karina Rando.{{Cite web |title=Technician with little political background to become Uruguay's new health minister |url=https://en.mercopress.com/2023/03/13/technician-with-little-political-background-to-become-uruguay-s-new-health-minister |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=MercoPress |language=en}}

References