Health Authorities Present Integration Plan to Cabinet
Health authorities arrived at the Cabinet Council with a clear mission: to demonstrate that the integration of CSS–Minsa is not just a discourse but a project that is beginning to take shape. If the promises are fulfilled, it could change the lives of thousands of Panamanians who today endure long lines, wait months for appointments, or urgently seek oncological care.
At this meeting, the Director of CSS, Dino Mon; the Minister of Health, Fernando Boyd Galindo; and Marcos Young, Director of Medical Services and Benefits, bluntly explained that over 100,000 specialized consultations require a serious and modern response. Therefore, the heart of this plan is the new oncology building of the ION within the City of Health, designed so that no patient has to battle cancer alone.
The project, which has already received the green light requested to the Cabinet chaired by President José Raúl Mulino, covers 19,670 square meters of construction. The new ION will have 9 levels, 90 outpatient chemotherapy chairs, 8 beds for prolonged treatments, clinical and molecular hematology laboratories, and a 6-level parking building with 272 spaces. In short: a place prepared to provide care with dignity.
The Minsa–CSS integration is also driving other urgent improvements. One of them is the future pediatric emergency building, as the current pediatric tower has no emergency area and triage is done in rooms… something that families have been complaining about for years. Spaces for nuclear medicine will also be enabled, as radiology and MRI equipment need a safe and protected area to operate properly.
Another strong point is the new technological system planned by the CSS: a main “data center” and a redundant one, with a 1,280-core processor, 20,480 GB of RAM, and more than 1,228 terabytes of storage. It sounds technical, but in plain language it means: fewer obstacles, less paperwork, no lost medical records, and faster care.
According to the authorities, this platform will allow doctors and staff to focus on what's important: providing 24/7 care, responding to the increase in appointments, handling emergencies, and dispensing medication with less hassle, so that people can truly feel that the system is working for them.
