Following the approval in third debate of Bill 19, which establishes extended hours in health centers, Minister of Health Fernando Boyd stated that a plan for nationwide implementation is already in place. Boyd reiterated that the launch must include economic and human resource planning. «With the approval of Bill 19 in third debate by the National Assembly, deputies have opened the possibility for the MINSA to determine logistically where the extended hours will be implemented, which will allow us to invest state resources appropriately,» the head of Health indicated. The minister said that the locations for the extended hours have already been established; «after that, it will be communicated to all Panamanian people,» so they know which facilities they can go to in case of an emergency. The entity reported that there are 120 facilities with extended hours, through an adjusted care scheme according to the needs of each region, district, and district. The bill, promoted by Deputy Betserai Richards, aims to fulfill the State's essential function of caring for the health of the population throughout the territory of the Republic of Panama, including the comarcas, guaranteeing the right to health promotion, protection, conservation, restoration, and rehabilitation.
