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CCSS Criticized By Contraloría
According to the Contraloría
General de la República
(Comptroller's office) has
criticized the Caja
Costarricense del Seguro Social
(CCSS) for being slow in
purchasing equipment and hiring
specialized staff to provide
badly needed radiotherapy at the
country's public hospitals.
In addition, the Contraloría
scolded the CCSS for having not
taking the most advantage of the
the only linear accelerator that
the CCSS has, installed at the
Hospital México.
The Contraloría says that the
CCSS process for purchasing
medical equipment and hiring
practices are to blame. The
Contraloría also said that the
lack of cost studies means that
the CCSS is probably paying much
higher costs of services.
In defence, CCSS officials say
that they are adopting new
measures to solve the problem.
The CCSS says it can only handle
480 cases a year while there are
at 600 needed the medical
services, which have no other
alternative but to turn to
private medical centres, if they
can afford it.
CCSS officials say that it not
just a matter of higher more
people and purchasing more
equipment, it is a case of using
their resources to the their
full potential. Having said
that, however, the CCSS
announced that they will have
another linear accelerator by
2008 and three more by 2011.
In the meantime, they will look
at contracting services from the
private sector to meet the
current demand.
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