Caja de Seguro Social (CSS) San Carlos Attends to Emergencies

By: Armando Acevedo, Public Relations Officer from San Carlos, Caja de Seguro.During summer month’s resorts located the region of Panama West and Cocle are packed with visitors in search of fun, sun and sand.

Sometimes, what begins as a pleasant day quickly turns into a medical emergency.

The Emergency Room of Caja de Seguro Social Juan Vega Mendez in San Carlos provides this important service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to the entire Pacific beach area (from Rio Hato to Capira).

In the CCS Emergency Room, Dr. Ovidio Almanza, chief of emergency, along with his staff, physicians, nurses, nursing technicians and others, are on alert to treat emergencies that arise in this region of the country. The medical professionals here provide quality care to insured and uninsured people, Panamanians and foreigners.

According to Dr. Almanza, the most common emergency situations during dry season are:

•    Traffic accidents.
•    Marine animal bites (stingrays, sea urchins).
•    Accidents on beaches, in rivers or pools.
•    Intoxication by alcohol consumption.
•    Sunstroke.
•    Injuries caused by fights.

It is clear that emergencies increase in this area during the summer months, and it is mainly outsiders whom are affected, whether from Panama City or foreign countries. According to the Department of Records and Health Statistics (REGES in Spanish) from San Carlos Policlinica, last year 2014, the ER attended 7,942 emergencies in the summer; this number is high, in comparison to the winter months. To give perspective, in June 2,751 emergencies were attended.

To prevent these situations, San Carlos Policlinica urges people that come to enjoy this beautiful region to be responsible. The following are a few simple recommendations to stay safe this summer.  

•    Avoid alcohol if you are driving; use a designated driver if you are going to drink.
•    Do not overload your vehicle or exceed the limit of passengers for which it was designed, this will make it lose manoeuvrability.
•    Observe the traffic signals, pay special attention to speed limits.
•    Avoid prolonged sun exposure, especially between 8:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. UV radiation is the strongest at this time.
•    Use sunblock with a high SPF protection.
•    Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.
•    Do not leave children unsupervised.
•    Do not drink excessively at the beach, river or by the pool.
•    Observe the rules and regulations of authorities at the beach.