Four months after its opening, the 24-hour primary care clinic in Outlying Unit Zone 5 (UPZ5) has provided agile and timely medical services to more than 4,500 social security members for minor emergencies.
UPZ5 Medical Director Dr. José Napoleón Castillo said that since its launch in June 2022, the service has successfully reduced emergency care in hospitals in large cities.
“The care we provide includes stabilization of hypertensive crisis, irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal pain, diarrhea, gastroenteritis, low back pain, dengue fever, respiratory infections; as well as otitis media, nasopharyngitis, nausea, fever, with hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. Diabetics with blood sugar, children with intestinal problems or poisoning, etc.,” explained Didia Reyes, assistant nurse at the clinic.
Increasing concern for motorists
Reyes also emphasized that attention to motorcycle accident victims has increased this year. “From treating 3 patients per day to 9. Most are accompanied by fractures, blows, cuts or friction burns that require immediate attention. Assessments are carried out by doctors on duty and, if necessary, when they are assigned to the Social Security Department At that time, they will be transferred to Sebal Accident Hospital by ambulance,” he added.
The clinic is open 24 hours a day, Monday to Sunday and holidays, and provides primary care services, clinical laboratories, dengue and COVID-19 testing, X-rays, prescriptions and medication dispensing. “If a patient needs to be transferred to a specialized IGSS unit, we provide ambulance service,” Dr. Castillo said.