Luis Escobar / La Paz
The Children’s Hospital in La Paz ran out of resources from the Universal Health System (SUS) and doctors are forced to postpone surgeries for up to six months, they also warn that they run out of medicines and other supplies. The doctors warn -also- that they only have the capacity to attend the intensive care units until the end of the month.
“We are facing a serious economic situation,” the director of the Children’s Hospital, Alfredo Mendoza, said yesterday. The professional explained that the Government should deliver the resources in January. “We are in March and to date we do not even have the budget, let alone the disbursement of SUS resources. Therefore, in these months we were not able to buy medicines and supplies for patient care, ”he declared.
According to the director, the money received by the hospital last year was 99.67% executed. “We had 150 bolivianos left over from the 2021 administration. We had a good budget execution, but we no longer have any more money.”
The establishment -according to the doctors- cannot generate more income either because the Government promised in 2019, when it launched the SUS, to deliver the money in advance and every four months for the free care of patients throughout the public health system. .
“They assigned us a budget of 19.6 million Bolivians for SUS and another 3.6 million for SUS Cancer. To date they have not paid us a fifth, “added the doctor.
These problems began to affect the normal performance of the hospital. Medications and supplies for the care of children began to be lacking and parents had to buy some drugs.
Currently, only one of the four operating rooms is in operation and surgeries have also been postponed for up to six months, said Cristián Fuentes, head of the surgery department. “We have deferred schedules until more or less mid-August. They are (children) that we could operate on tomorrow, but we cannot do it because there is only one operating room and, therefore, we have to defer, ”he assured.
According to doctors, for example, abdominal hernia operations were delayed. They can no longer deal with testicular problems in children and spinal dysplasia, in addition to dental injuries that can worsen over the weeks and months.
The three remaining operating rooms are not working because there are no resources to maintain the anesthesia or sterilization equipment. The doctor warned that if one of these devices stops operating, the nurses go to neighboring hospitals to ask for collaboration.
“Instead of performing four or five surgeries in each operating room – which makes a total of 20 to 30 procedures a day – we have to work at only a quarter of the capacity. In such a way that the schedules are being postponed”, said the doctor, while showing a book with the names of children waiting for an intervention.
Mendoza added that the intensive care unit, like the entire hospital, is “at risk.” “Let’s not forget that intensive care is one of the services that uses the most drugs and supplies on a daily basis. We have some medications and supplies that are useful for ICUs, but if we continue without resources, care will be affected, “he said.
He considered that they cannot estimate when this situation will occur, but assured that if they continue without receiving the resources, the medicines could be used “until the end of March.”
In addition, the companies that provide oxygen, food and cleaning warned to suspend the services they provide to the Children’s Hospital if the debt is not paid.
Meanwhile, personnel from the Ministry of Health reported that a response will be given in the next few hours.
external consultations
- Evaluation The direction of the Children’s Hospital of La Paz reported that care for outpatient consultations will be carried out continuously and normally. However, the problem will arise when prescribing a drug. “We have an obligation to provide these drugs. But, due to the shortage of some of them, we will not be able to deliver them. The father will have to resort to his resources to acquire them at a pharmacy, “director Alfredo Mendoza said yesterday.
- Services The hospital warned that companies supplying oxygen, cleaning and food sent threatening notes and indicated that they could suspend the service they provide to patients.
