Panama to invest over $30 million in new Hospital del Oriente Chiricano

Panama's Ministry of Health (Minsa) has announced an investment exceeding $30 million to construct a new Hospital del Oriente Chiricano in San Félix. The decision follows structural damage caused by an earthquake on October 9, which primarily affected the facility's oldest sections, including maternity, pediatrics, and hospitalization areas.

To ensure the continuity of medical services during construction, the contracted company will be required to build a temporary modular hospital. The facility is critical to the region, serving over 170,000 people from the Ngäbe-Buglé Comarca and the Chiriquí province, as well as travelers on the Pan-American Highway.

In addition to this project, Minsa is planning the demolition and reconstruction of several other health centers, including the Hospital de Tonosí and facilities in Mariato, La Colorada, La Pitaloza, Río de Jesús, and Cerro Viejo, with an estimated investment of over $3.3 million. To date, the ministry has identified damage in 118 health installations across eight provinces and one comarca, requiring an estimated $53 million in total repairs.