Panama announces salpingectomy program

Friday, March 9th, 2018 Panama’s The Social Security Fund (CSS) and the Ministry of Health (Minsa ) announced the country would begin a salpingectomy or “permanent sterilization” program.

The medical director of the Hospital Irma de Lourdes Tzanetatos, Aldimarina López, said that the surgeries will begin being carried April 2, 2018. The program is open to women over the age of 23 with 2 or more children who do not wish to have more children. Women both insured and not, are eligible. 

Rose Marie Philips, coordinator of the gynecology service at the San Miguel Arcángel Hospital, explained in an article with La Prensa, that the process is “voluntary” and patients should be referred by specialists in gynecology. Other requirements to qualify for the program include a body mass index below 35 and tests such as blood count, HIV, glycemia, and creatinine.