reduced cancer budget; no money to finish the hospital

Jalisco is struggling to treat cancer patients because of insufficient funding.

Not only has the Jalisco Cancer Institute seen its 2019 budget cut by 42%, but the new Jalisco Cancer Hospital is only about 40% complete and the funds needed to carry it out to good are not available.

Last month, Health Secretary Fernando Petersen Aranguren told reporters that he did not know if the state would be able to get the funding to continue the project, let alone provide the news. facilities.

"No, for the moment, there are no funds reserved, neither from the state nor from the federal government. We study the history of the project to find out what happened. . . . "

To complicate the problem, the Jalisco Cancer Institute has seen its budget increase from 105 million pesos ($ 5.5 million) to 61 million. The budget was increased in 2018 to meet the needs of the hospital, but this year it is identical to the average allocation of previous years.

The hospital has treated more than 67,000 patients in 2018 and treats cases of cancer throughout the state. To make matters worse, he owes nearly 200 million pesos ($ 10.5 million) to his suppliers.

The new hospital would have 100 beds, while the institute would only have 45. Due to the high demand and limited resources, the hospital had to start charging patients.

Aranguren explained that cancers of the testis, prostate, bad, cervix and colon, as well as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, are all covered by social security. However, since last year, patients with other forms of the disease, such as lung cancer, have to pay for consultations and be the subject of a socio-economic study. to determine their ability to pay and the amount of their fees.

"Unfortunately, the institute no longer has the financial means to continue treating patients with other forms of cancer, and we had to start asking them for a payment."

According to the World Health Organization, lung and skin cancers, which are not covered, are the most common types of the disease.

Source: Reforma (sp), UDGTV (sp)

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