The Ministry of Health (Minsa) announced that it will plan to extend hours in health centers as needed to ensure care for the population. Minsa will ensure that in each health region there is at least one primary care facility with extended hours, so that timely access to basic health services is guaranteed. The Minister of Health, Fernando Boyd Galindo, clarified that since last year, the entity has been developing a plan for the implementation of extended hours in the health centers that the population requires. Currently, Minsa has 120 health centers nationwide that operate with extended hours, through a care scheme tailored to the needs of each region, district, and district, especially in those areas where it is necessary to provide care after working hours. The entity reported that as new health centers with extended hours are incorporated, based on a plan that aligns with the availability of staff, supplies, medicines, and budget, the Ministry of Health will promptly inform the population so that they know which facilities they can go to in an emergency. “With the approval in third debate of Bill 19 in the National Assembly, the deputies have opened the possibility for Minsa to logistically determine where the extension of hours will be implemented, which will allow us to properly invest the state's resources,” said the head of the Health portfolio.
Panama's Ministry of Health Plans to Extend Health Center Hours
Following the approval of Bill 19 in the National Assembly, Panama's Ministry of Health announced plans to extend hours at health centers. The goal is to ensure timely access to basic health services for the population nationwide.
