The Santo Tomás Hospital will have a new building for Outpatient Care and Complementary Services, whose main objective is to reduce surgical backlog, shorten hospitalization times, and expand available services. The Minister of Health, Fernando Boyd Galindo, announced that the Ministry of Economy and Finance has allocated 47 million balboas in the 2026 budget for this project. The new complex, to be built on the grounds of the former National Oncology Institute on Justo Arosemena Avenue, will include several facilities, such as an Ophthalmology Surgery Center, a Joint Replacement Center, a Day Hospital, specialized clinics, and a Hemocenter, among others. The seven-story structure will improve surgical and orthopedic care, as well as alleviate the high demand at Santo Tomás Hospital. The project, which will be tendered in the first months of 2026, will occupy 34,440 square meters and cost B/.53.25 million, allocated for construction, equipment, and preliminary studies. The hospital's medical director, Dr. Luis Carlos Bravo, highlighted that this project is focused on improving outpatient care and speeding up medical processes, benefiting the Panamanian population.
