Panama hospital integration plan faces budget hurdles

Panama's health authorities are discussing the full integration of services between the Santo Tomás Hospital and other healthcare institutions, aiming to provide high-quality care to all citizens regardless of the facility they visit. Dino Mon, director of the Social Security Fund (CSS), stated the goal is "world-class health" for every Panamanian.

However, Luis Carlos Bravo, director of Santo Tomás Hospital, expressed concerns about the financial feasibility of such an integration. The hospital's budget for 2025-2026 remains at approximately $198 million, a figure that has not increased. Bravo explained that rising salaries for staff and increasing costs for medical supplies and equipment are shrinking the funds available for medical and surgical management.

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The integration plan is very clear: when any Panamanian enters any health institution, they must be served with first-world health.

"Our budget for 2025-2026 was exactly the same, it was $198 million. There was no increase, and if one considers that health and administrative personnel have special laws, salaries increase every year, and our budget for medical-surgical management, medicines, purchase of equipment and supplies is reduced more and more, which limits us in the modernization we need," Bravo said. He noted that integrating services would necessitate more operational capacity, including hiring staff, acquiring supplies, and renewing medical equipment.

These concerns were raised during the launch of a book celebrating the Santo Tomás Hospital's 100-year history. The hospital currently serves about 400,000 patients annually, making it a key public health institution in Panama.

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Our budget for 2025-2026 was exactly the same, it was $198 million. There was no increase, and if one considers that health and administrative personnel have special laws, salaries increase every year, and our budget for medical-surgical management, medicines, purchase of equipment and supplies is reduced more and more, which limits us in the modernization we need.