Decentralizing Healthcare: A New era for San Juan North

In a move poised to substantially improve healthcare access and quality for residents of Jáchal, Iglesia, and surrounding areas, Governor Marcelo orrego recently inaugurated three pivotal projects at teh San Roque de Jáchal Hospital. These include a new maternity unit, an adult oncology unit, and a complete digital conversion of the hospital’s Image Diagnostic Service. This initiative marks a meaningful step towards decentralizing specialized medical services, ensuring that residents in remote areas recieve timely and complete care without the need for extensive travel.

Oncology Day Hospital: Bringing Comprehensive Cancer Care Closer to Home

The newly established Oncology Unit promises to revolutionize cancer care in the region. Adult patients diagnosed with cancer will now have access to vital treatments within their community, eliminating the burden of traveling to more complex facilities in the provincial capital. This not only enhances their quality of life but also alleviates pressure on the central healthcare system.

Key Features of the Oncology Unit:

• Dedicated to adult patients with solid tumors.
• Serves residents of Jáchal and other northern provincial localities.
• Staffed by specialized oncologists and trained nursing personnel.
• Offers emotional and psychological support for patients and their families.
• Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including ergonomic chemotherapy chairs and a biosafety cabinet for medication readiness.
• Features a specially designed treatment room.

Cancer remains a significant health concern in San Juan, accounting for 14.8% of all deaths. Breast cancer is the most prevalent, followed by colorectal cancer. By decentralizing oncological care, the province aims to improve therapeutic monitoring, reduce patient transfers, and ensure consistent access to essential medications through the Marcial Quiroga Hospital’s Drug Bank.

New Maternity Unit: Prioritizing Safe and Respectful Births

The state-of-the-art maternity unit is set to serve over 7,700 women of childbearing age, with the capacity to handle up to 250 low-complexity deliveries or cesarean sections. This strategic investment is crucial for reducing maternal and infant mortality rates, improving access to prenatal care, and fostering strong mother-child bonds during the critical first 1,000 days of life.

Addressing Maternal Health Disparities:

While Argentina’s maternal mortality rate stands at 3.2 deaths per 10,000 live births, San Juan’s rate is higher at 4.1. The geographical distance between Jáchal and iglesia and the Rawson Hospital’s maternity ward (over 160 km) has historically posed challenges to timely access to care. The new unit directly addresses this issue by eliminating the need for travel to the capital and allowing pregnant women to have a relative present during childbirth.

A Humanized approach to Childbirth:

• Implementation of the province’s first Labour, Delivery, and Recovery (LDR) unit in both the public and private sectors.
• Empowering women to give birth in a pleasant and private environment with minimal medical intervention,accompanied by a loved one.
• Facilities designed in accordance with respectful childbirth laws and a family-centered maternity model.
• Two rooms equipped with double beds, cribs, armchairs, and televisions.
• Dedicated tocogynecological admission office.
• A multidisciplinary team of over 30 professionals, including tocogynecologists, pediatricians, obstetricians, surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, biochemists, and pharmacists.

Image Diagnosis: Cutting-Edge Technology for Precision and Equity

the modernization of the Image diagnostic Service positions the San Roque Hospital as a leading center for medical technology in northern San Juan. The new equipment enhances diagnostic accuracy, reduces waiting times, minimizes unnecessary referrals, and provides a more comfortable experience for patients, especially children.

Recent Activity:

In 2024,the hospital conducted 741 CT scans (100 pediatric) and 5,853 radiological studies (1,500 pediatric). The increased utilization of the service is evident in the first two months of 2025, with 235 CT scans and 908 X-ray studies performed.

New Technological Advancements:

• High-resolution computed axial tomograph.
• digital mammographer with tomosynthesis for 3D studies.
• Fixed and mobile digital X-ray machines.
• Image digitalization and storage systems.
• Medical image display network for remote consultations with specialists, reducing the need for transfers and facilitating second opinions.

The service has also expanded it’s team with the addition of 11 professionals, including an imaging specialist and 10 graduates and bioimage technicians.

A Commitment to Territorial Equity

These significant investments solidify the San Roque de Jáchal Hospital’s role as a comprehensive and high-complexity center for the northern region of the province. The political commitment to investing in public health in areas distant from the capital demonstrates a tangible dedication to territorial equity and ensuring the right to health for all residents of San Juan.

This hospital, which is the third largest in the province and the first in terms of the region, does a splendid job. today we have the chance to inaugurate two units. One of them is linked to something very tender: the possibility that a mother does not have to travel 200 kilometers, but can be treated hear, close to her family.
Governor Marcelo Orrego

We also inaugurated an oncology unit, dedicated to one of the most painful diseases. I know it well: I lost my two parents for this type of disease.
Governor Marcelo Orrego

I must recognize the minister, not only for his vocation to do, but also for the inspiration he had when generating these projects, which today are a reality.
Governor Marcelo Orrego