San Roque González Indigenous Hospital faces medical shortages

The San Roque González de Santa Cruz Indigenous Hospital in Limpio, Paraguay, is facing critical shortages of medical specialists and transport vehicles. While the facility, which operates under the Ministry of Public Health, provides essential services such as shelter, medication, food, and recovery care, its capacity to handle complex cases is limited by a lack of resources.

Hospital director Dr. Darío Jara noted a high demand for specialists, specifically citing a shortage of ultrasound technicians, gynecologists, pediatricians, and diabetologists. Additionally, the hospital struggles with insufficient mobile units; reports indicate that a single ambulance performed 743 transfers in the last quarter.

Patients and families from remote areas, including the Chaco region, have expressed the need for more Family Health Units (USF) in hard-to-reach zones to reduce the necessity of traveling to the capital or Central Department for specialized care.