Family abandonment keeps San Juan de Dios Hospital beds occupied by discharged patients

Twelve patients at Guatemala's San Juan de Dios General Hospital remain hospitalized long after their medical discharge, occupying valuable beds needed by others. These individuals, some found abandoned on public streets or referred by the General Prosecutor's Office, have no family or suitable place to go.

The hospital's social workers activate protocols to identify and locate relatives for patients admitted without identification. However, these efforts often fail, leaving patients in a state of abandonment. The majority are elderly, aged between 70 and 95, but the hospital also cares for two younger adults with disabilities, aged 30 and 38, who have been hospitalized for over six months awaiting transfer to specialized homes.

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Although they no longer require hospitalization, they remain in the hospital because no one has come to claim them.

One such patient is Aníbal Bolaños, 66, who entered the hospital in June with kidney disease. A former street vendor, Bolaños is now undergoing dialysis and hopes to find a place to continue his recovery. As an only child with deceased parents and no close family, he relies on the support of a friend who brought him to the hospital. He expresses a deep desire to avoid loneliness and find a supportive environment.

Hospital authorities are making a public appeal for any family members, friends, or acquaintances who might have information about these abandoned patients. They urge anyone who can help provide care or find suitable alternatives to come forward, emphasizing the need for these individuals to receive comprehensive attention and a better quality of life.

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His desire is to find a place where he can continue his recovery without facing loneliness again.