Guatemala, November 10, 2021. As part of the decentralization process and improvement of renal treatment services at the national level, local authorities, IGSS and UNOPS recently attended the opening event of the new hemodialysis center in Cobán, Alta Verapaz. With the participation of Dr. Edwin Mendizabal, Alta Verapaz IGSS departmental director, Dr. Ana Marilyn Ortiz, IGSS Manager, IGSS Board Chair Jose Flamenco Jau, Dr. Arturo García Aquino, IGSS Health Benefits Deputy Manager, the hemodialysis service provider company, and UNOPS representatives offered tours of the new facilities.
This Renal Treatment Center is in Zone 8 of Coban, Alta Verapaz and is part of the medical units aimed at improving and efficiency of hemodialysis and dialysis services for the care of renal patients affiliated to Social Security at the national level with the support of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).
The center's infrastructure has an installed capacity to care for 54 patients in three shifts with new equipment and the design necessary to provide caring, quality service to renal patients who will receive nutritional and psychological care as part of the added value that the Institute seeks for its affiliates.
Dr. Arturo Garcia Aquino, Health Benefits Deputy Manager said "This is an important achievement of the Institute’s administration, with the support of the Board of Directors. Over the last four years it has been a struggle to decentralize patients, which today number more than 3,100 at the national level".
"It is very satisfying to see how patients who are using the new hemodialysis services for chronic patients of Social Security evolve, thanks to the IGSS for entrusting us with this mission," said Alessandra Menezes, manager of the AMEDIGSS program at UNOPS.
The new clinic has all the comforts for patients and benefits the departments of Alta and Baja Verapaz, Petén, and Izabal, and will prevent its affiliates from traveling from their communities to the capital city.
Board Chair José Adolfo Flamenco Jau stressed the importance of bringing quality services closer to the community, “This is a resounding accomplishment. Kidney disease is a challenge, not only for the patient, but for the whole family. We will be looking forward to the quality of service provided in these new centers."
IGSS supplier companies play a very important role in the process, as they are responsible for the care centers and have a direct relationship with renal patients and their families.
“This clinic has been operating for 4 months, more than 500 therapies have been provided within the framework of this agreement. IGSS continues to grow and transform itself to be the Social Security that the working class of the country deserves, innovating to reach the whole country, “said Dr. Ana Marilyn Ortiz, IGSS Manager.
The IGSS has made investments of more than Q 930 million, aimed at improving renal care; as well as decentralizing services, through 29 care centers in the country, that offer dialysis and hemodialysis therapies, in outpatient and in-hospital modalities, benefiting more than 4,00 renal patients and their families.
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![Isabel Recinos]()
Isabel Recinos
AMEDIGSS | UNOPS Communicator
