Hospitals in the south of the country and Limón will reinforce coordination with the primary, care level in order to detect and address, in a timely manner, adolescent women with obstetrical risk or the possibility of acquiring a sexually-transmitted disease.
They will work within the framework of Salud Mesoamérica Initiative, whose first phase started in 2013 in Talamanca, Valle La Estrella, Cariari, Matina, Guácimo, Siquirres, Corredores, Golfito, Coto Brus, Osa, And Buenos Aires de Puntarenas: they are considered vulnerable regions because of their poverty level and their high incidence of teenage pregnancy.
The project was implemented in 124 Basic Comprehensive Groups on Health Care (Ebais) from the Atlantic and southern parts of the country in order to improve comprehensive care and reduce pregnancy during this period of life.
This first phase, which integrated 11 indicators, has already been evaluated and, among other things, it aims to offer the following characteristics in the CCSS services:
-More friendly services.
-Updated regulation.
-Specific schedules.
-More attention time.
-More capable staff.
-Warmer and better quality services.
-Different types of care: counseling, individual and group consultations.
-Easy ways to enter the centers.
-Great educational content with anatomical models.
The second phase will start in the coming days. According to doctor Mario León Barth, project coordinator from the CCSS, its goal is to involve hospitals that support these health areas in order to provide an early and timely approach to those teens who face some obstetrical risk or other related issues such as depression, eating disorders, addictions and suicide attempts.
This would also imply coordination with other institutions such as the Ministry of Public Education (MEP) and the National Children’s Trust (PANI) to guarantee a comprehensive attention because indicators such as school dropouts, level of education, drug addiction and social and economic conditions will be studied.