It is anticipated that the enhancements will strengthen health services for over 137,000 residents.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 10 Mar. (Europa Press) –
The Hospital del Norte, located in ICOD de los Vinos, is set to receive an investment of 1.6 million euros, through an agreement with the Cabildo and the Canary Health Service, aimed at augmenting its capacity in oncology, surgery, and laboratory services, thereby reducing the need for patients to travel to the University Hospital of the Canary Islands (HUC).
This investment aims to bolster health services for more than 137,000 individuals from the towns of La Orotava, Los Realejos, La Guancha, San Juan de la Rambla, ICOD de los Vinos, Garachico, Buenavista del Norte, Los Silos, and El Tank, as detailed in a statement by the island institution.
The Cabildo president, Rosa Dávila, toured the hospital on Monday to oversee the areas designated for the 1.6 million euros investment, part of the collaboration with the Canary Health Service.
Dávila visited the facilities alongside the director of the Canarian Health Service (SCS), Carlos Gustavo Díaz; the manager of the Hospital del Norte, Adasat Goya; medical director, Juan Antonio García; nursing director, Óscar Mora; management director, Eufrasio Gutiérrez; human resources director, Avelina Díaz; and Minister of Education for Prevention and Mobility, Juan Acosta and Eulalia García, respectively.
“Our objective is evident: to bring health services closer to the north of Tenerife so that patients do not have to undertake long journeys to the metropolitan area for specialised medical attention. This investment will enhance the quality of life for thousands and assist in alleviating traffic congestion on the TF-5,” stated the island president.
Carlos Gustavo Díaz expressed gratitude for the collaboration and dedication of the Cabildo de Tenerife, particularly in the crucial area of Canary Islands health care, along with the initiative to establish a partnership that will “enhance emergency care in the northern region of the island” while also “reducing the need for travel and easing traffic flow.”
INVESTMENTS
An investment of 487,585 euros will facilitate the establishment of a new laboratory within the hospital, enabling quicker diagnoses and clinical analysis on-site. The laboratory will operate from 08:00 to 20:00, Monday to Friday, and will also feature a permanent emergency service.
Expectedly, waiting times for results will be considerably shortened, in addition to eliminating the need for patients to visit other centres for tests.
Furthermore, the opening of a cytostatic preparation room in the day hospital, with an investment of 196,145 euros, will enable the administration of chemotherapy treatments in ICOD de los Vinos, preventing northern cancer patients from needing to travel to HUC.
According to estimates from the Canarian health service, the decentralisation of these treatments is projected to prevent 140,000 journeys to the HUC each year, translating to 560 fewer trips along the TF-5.
Beyond improving patients’ quality of life, this measure is said to streamline waiting times and deliver a “closer and more accessible” form of treatment.
A further investment of 205,000 euros in creating a blood bank at the Hospital del Norte will ensure immediate access to blood products, facilitating major surgeries within the hospital.
Currently, the Cabildo de Tenerife notes, many surgical procedures are unfeasible due to insufficient blood supply, necessitating patient transfers to HUC. This enhancement will bolster surgical capabilities and decrease reliance on the metropolitan area.
Lastly, the establishment of a sterilisation facility at the Hospital del Norte, backed by an investment of 700,000 euros, will allow for the processing of surgical equipment on-site.
Previously, instruments required for surgical interventions had to be sent to the HUC for sterilisation, resulting in delays and hampering the number of surgeries carried out.
With this new facility, it is anticipated that operating rooms will function both in the morning and afternoon, enhancing the hospital’s capacity to respond and optimising health resources.
Meeting with the mayors
Following the visit, the president of the Cabildo convened with the mayors of the northern municipalities to reaffirm their “commitment” to enhancing public health services and easing traffic congestion.
“Every new service we establish at the Hospital del Norte correlates with fewer trips to the HUC and improvements in patient quality of life. We are making healthcare more accessible while simultaneously helping alleviate traffic on the TF-5, a significant mobility challenge on the island,” she remarked.
According to the Cabildo, the region’s mayors commended the investment and emphasised the necessity of continuing to expand healthcare offerings in the north to diminish reliance on HUC.
