President Laurentino Cortizo, formally delivered this Monday the commitment to build the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Panama (UP), thus fulfilling one of the points established in the Action Plan “Joining Forces” of the National Government.
During his report to the nation on January 2 before the National Assembly of Deputies, the president reaffirmed his commitment to this administration with the start of construction of the new headquarters of the Faculty of Medicine, a long-awaited project.
The rector of the University of Panama, Dr. Eduardo Flores, highlighted that it is the first time that a president of the Republic accompanied by his vice president, visits the rector of this university in his office, which highlights the importance that this Government gives to the University of Panama. “It is an honor to know that I am the first president to formally visit a rector after 86 years,” said Cortizo.
He explained that his government’s action plan is the product of many consultations. “They are proposals for action or commitments; however, with the pandemic, public finances have received a dramatic reduction in terms of income and of those 125 proposals, 100 have been selected, of which number 71 contains the commitment to build a new School of Medicine”, he detailed.
The new faculty could have a cost of B/. 100 million approximately and the construction process would last a little more than 3 years.
The Chief Executive took the opportunity to announce that last December he assigned the Vice President of the Republic and Minister of the Presidency, José Gabriel Carrizo, as responsible, by the Executive, together with the National Assembly and other high officials to seek a mechanism that allows the reduction of the price of medicines, as one of the priority tasks for 2022.
In this sense, Cortizo invited Rector Flores and the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Oris Lam de Calvo, to designate a representative of the University of Panama at the meeting table.
The Faculty of Medicine has an enrollment of more than 2,000 students who study more than 7 specialties.
