modern look

Arévalo, Plácido Rosas and Laguna Merín will be part of the national program of rural resident doctors

A long-awaited dream of the inhabitants of the deep interior is about to come true. In the department of Cerro Largo, the towns of Arévalo, Plácido Rosas and Laguna Merín will be part of the national program of rural resident doctors, an initiative that seeks to guarantee continuous and quality medical care in areas far from urban centers.

The project was promoted by the former senator and current minister Alfredo Fratti, approved by the entire Parliament during the previous legislative period, and had the dedication of the deputy Federico Preve, as well as the firm will of the current administration to put it into practice.

“From the Provincial Council we feel immense joy. We know the meaning that having health care in the place has for the campaign and the towns,” expressed representative Yisela Araujo, highlighting the impact that this measure will have on rural families who for years had to travel dozens of kilometers to access a medical consultation.

The figure of the rural doctor has a long history in the country, but in recent decades its presence has been reduced due to the lack of incentives and the difficulties of locating professionals in the deep interior. The new plan takes up that tradition with a modern look: it proposes highly dedicated positions, better working conditions and the incorporation of tools such as telemedicine, which will allow professionals to maintain permanent contact with specialists from reference hospitals.

According to data from the Ministry of Public Health, in some rural areas of the country there is only one doctor for every thousand inhabitants, a gap that limits access to primary care and delays diagnoses. The arrival of resident doctors seeks to reverse this reality, prioritizing family and community medicine and strengthening the first level of care.

The plan also includes support for housing and connectivity, allowing professionals to settle with their families and carry out their work in a stable manner. In the event that the locality does not have adequate accommodation, financial compensation is provided to cover housing costs. Instances of continuous training and technical support are also promoted through networks such as the ECHO Uruguay Project, which connects rural doctors with experts from Montevideo and other parts of the country.

The initiative has the support of the Ministry of Public Health, the State Health Services Administration (ASSE), the Faculty of Medicine and the Medical College of Uruguay, institutions that have agreed on the importance of bringing health care to all corners of the national territory.

The objective, as explained, is not limited to filling positions, but to generate sustained, close and human medical presence in communities that have historically had to face health deficiencies. “Having a doctor in the town means much more than having a consultation,” say the promoters of the project. “It means regaining trust, support and security on a daily basis.”