Inauguration of the new IGSS intensive care for COVID patients

In order to further strengthen the response to the pandemic, IGSS launched a new module to care for COVID patients, equipped with inputs purchased with the support of UNOPS.

Last Friday, February 19, the second phase of the COVID-19 critical care module of the Tecún Umán Hospital of the Guatemalan Social Security Institute (IGSS), in zone 9 of the capital city, was inaugurated. It is equipped with entirely new, state-of-the-art inputs acquired by IGSS with the support of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

The 2,571-equipment acquired by IGSS with the support of UNOPS to equip this new area of care, as well as 16 other national IGSS medical units and hospitals, include intensive care beds, vital signs monitors, cardiac pulmonary resuscitation equipment, portable x-rays, oxygen flow meters and mechanical ventilators, among others.

This new unit consists of 35 beds for adults and 5 for children.

It has 40 mechanical ventilators, 40 vital signs monitors, hemodialysis, pacemakers, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation equipment, tomography, portable x-ray, arterial blood gas, cryogenic tank for the distribution of medical and arterial gases.

During the second week of February, more than 100 IGSS physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists were trained on the use and operation of the new mechanical ventilators, with the support of UNOPS. Training was provided by General Electric (GE) ventilation and anesthesia clinical specialist for Latin America, Acvez Vera Zapata.

IGSS Director Carlos Contreras explained that more than Q10 million have been invested in ventilators alone to improve patient care. “The Guatemalan Social Security Institute took urgent measures to assist its members in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Board of Directors approved the guideline implemented by management and administration to carry out the necessary strategies and efforts. As a result, the Management immediately organized all the services and took advantage of the resources that IGSS has, such as the UNOPS agreement, and made the necessary investments to strengthen the platform of services for the care of affiliates and rights-holders affected by the pandemic,” said Mr. Contreras.

The acquisition of the equipment is part of the new infrastructure, hospital equipment and IT modernization program that the Social Security has established, called the INFRAIGSS Program, aimed at strengthening the capacities of Social Security for the implementation of Phase 2 of the Master Plan for the Modernization and Expansion of the IGSS Hospital and Services Network with the support of UNOPS. This includes the design of the Hospital Complex of Zone 11 and the Hospital Arrivillaga, and the design and construction of the Hospital Regional de Oriente in Zacapa (with 203 beds) and the High Complexity Hospital in Zone 11 (with 300 beds). It also includes the equipment of these hospitals with state-of-the-art medical supplies and furniture, the acquisition of ambulances, as well as the modernization of the technology infrastructure, in order to expand and improve the coverage and care of the IGSS for its rights-holders.

Inauguration of Tecún Umán Hospital: