Health Care in Ecuador 2021-22

An unsafe water supply in Ecuador's rural areas is adding to the national 'crisis' in health care.

Rural residents have been getting sick due to the lack of potable water, according to Vice President Borrero.  This has overloaded public hospitals.

"What is the use of having beautiful hospitals," he asks, "when 40 percent of Ecuadorians don't have clean water to drink?"

Source... www.cuencahighlife.com

My new endocrinóloga ordered some medical tests on me in advance of a visit to her consultorio here in Quito this coming Monday.

I had blood drawn at Hospital Santa Bárbara one block from my condo on Friday .. and received the results the next day.

The remaining test, a $30 ecografía a/k/a ultrasound, is not available on weekends at the Santa Bárbara.

However, Dr. Aguirre referred me to a company called Zonar, which sent a doctor to my condo this afternoon .. where he performed the 'eco'.  The 'a domicilio' price was higher than the hospital would charge, as I paid $60 for the convenience.  (The cost of an ultrasound exam in the USA is about $200, according to Parents Magazine, if not covered by insurance.  If deemed medically necessary, the USA procedure is likely covered for an insured person.)

The 'eco' doc said he would forward to me and Dr. Aguirre the results in time for our Monday appointment at Torres Médicas de Hospital Metropolitano.

cccmedia

cccmedia wrote:

My new endocrinóloga ordered some medical tests on me in advance of a visit to her consultorio here in Quito (on) Monday.

I had blood drawn at Hospital Santa Bárbara one block from my condo on Friday .. and received the results the next day.

Dra. Aguirre discovered an important error in my blood-test results.

The results the hospital issued showed my cortisol to be at several times the number at the top of the acceptable range for a patient's cortisol.

During our 'cita' today, Dra. Aguirre spoke on the phone with the head of the Santa Bárbara lab, Dra. Naranjo.

In short order, Dra. Aguirre got confirmation that the cortisol reading was a hospital error .. and my actual reading put me within the acceptable range for cortisol levels.

Minutes later, still during our appointment, we received another call from the hospital.  This time they told Dra. Aguirre that my next round of testing at Santa Bárbara would be gratis due to the hospital's cortisol-testing error!

cccmedia

Why was Hospital Santa Bárbara so quick to offer me free testing after acknowledging the facility's testing-results error?

I see a connection between that offer and what we learned about earlier in this thread -- that the Lasso administration is investigating and planning to correct massive deficiencies in the nation's public hospitals.  (Santa Bárbara is a government IESS hospital.)

By palliating for some patients -- in this case yours truly -- via some on-the-house testing, the hospital avoids the likelihood of complaints about its procedures and the potential wrath of Ecuador's vice-president and his boss.

Hospital Santa Bárbara is out-of-the-way for most Expats since almost nobody speaks passable English here in my sector.  For me, though, its location is ideal -- just one short block down Garcia Moreno from my condo building.

Now if they could just perfect their testing/results procedure....

cccmedia in Centro Histórico, Quito

My dental appointment in El Centro yesterday worked out, but it was touch 'n go just finding the place.  I was on the right block but there were no signs or markings outside indicating there was a dental office on the premises.

Fortunately, I was able to call the dentist on my cellphone.  He sent his teenage son downstairs who waved me over and guided me to the right door.  The problem was that I wrote down 8-16 as part of the address on Calle Venezuela (which is how the address is shown at a Google page), and the correct number is 8-61.

The low-light entry area and steps to go up one flight were tricky, but with 'el hijo' leading the way .. I carefully arrived at the 'consultorio' and had a successful appointment.

There was a one-hour wait after I arrived 15 minutes tardy as Dr. Freddy worked on another patient.  Fortunately, his consultorio has excellent WiFi and I was able to fill the hour with web cruising and email.

cccmedia in Quito

Saying that "nothing is more important than the health of our citizens," Vice President Alfredo Borrero has announced that corruption in the procurement of medicines is so bad in public and IESS Social Security hospitals that the process has to be taken out of these hospitals' hands.

The government will begin turning over the medicine-distribution process to private and municipal pharmacies, says Dr. Borrero.  The pharmacies in public hospitals will close;  the aim is to curtail shortages of medicine caused by gross corruption.

Borrero vows to imprison those responsible for theft and corruption.  "We will fix the system," he says, noting that giving Ecuadorian people the health care they deserve is the government's top priority.

Presidente Lasso had named Borrero to lead an investigation of the inadequacies and corruption that have plagued government hospitals.  That investigation is ongoing.

Source... www.cuencahighlife.com

The Health Ministry has announced it will re-stock the public and IESS hospital pharmacies with essential medicines.

It has been known for years that meds have been missing or stolen from these pharmacies, apparently due to corrupt individuals and a culture of corruption.

Ecuador is receiving $325-million from the Development Bank of South America to bolster its public health system, including the fight against covid and acquisition of medicines.

Presidente Lasso says the government has developed new procedures so the disappearance of massive amounts of medicine cannot re-occur in coming years.

Source... www.cuencahighlife.com

Healthy thyroid function requires iodine.

Iodine is frequently needed by the thyroid gland to make a number of hormones that control your health; Small quantities of iodine must be consumed every day, and can be found in the molecular structure of several thyroid hormones. This metabolic system is very complex and so important that the body has multiple pathways to accomplish metabolism with these hormones. Broad-spectrum vitamins contain the essential cofactors boron and iodine, from reliable suppliers. Unfortunately, the vitamins do not contain enough iodine and you will need to add iodine supplements to your diet.

None of the salts labeled as Kosher, black, pink, flaky, gray, smoky, or fleur de sal contain iodine. Local "Sal de Mesa" is the Spanish name for white table salt, and along with the two varieties of sea salt: white salt and pink Himalayan Sea salt; NONE contain iodine. Here, iodized salt is referred to as Sal Yodada. The vast majority of Ecuadorean medical professionals, nutritionists, homeopaths, and grocery store employees are unaware of it and do not advocate for everyone to use it.  Please help by asking retailers to keep additional Sal Yodada and Sea Salt Yodada on hand*.

*Differentiated pricing: white fine Sal de Mesa is 37 cents and Sal Yodada is 42 cents.

Reluctant to eat salt? Natural food retailers sell iodine drops. Take note of their labelling / concentrations because each natural store's recipe for iodine drops is different, so pay attention to it. The recommended dosage is 2 to 4 drops, but Iodine in excess will make you sick, always heed the limits.

Source: Cuenca highlife

Eating a couple sardines every week reportedly satisfies the body's iodine requirements as well as providing numerous other nutritional benefits.

@ledale7cd 👍🏼 not to mention protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D and calcium, iron, omega-3 fatty acids. I just love them mixed with minced red onion, salt n pepper on buttered and lightly mayonnaised toast; Excellent and very healthy 'fast food' for older adults to get daily nutrients and help stave off osteoperosis. The vitamin D content helps the body absorb calcium...