Reported by The Star Staff
On Thursday, Governor Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia, accompanied by San Lorenzo Mayor Jaime Alverio Ramos and the island’s Health Secretary Carlos Mellado López, declared the commencement of construction for a state-of-the-art 24-hour emergency room in the municipality.
With a total investment of $6 million, this initiative is set to revolutionize access to emergency medical care for the close to 40,000 residents in the eastern central part of the island, ensuring prompt and quality treatment, while also bolstering the local health system.
“Health is a core principle for me and my administration as it represents the well-being and quality of life for our community,” Pierluisi remarked in a statement. “This is why, throughout my public service journey, I have strived to ensure that every Puerto Rican individual has access to health services within their locality. Today we make further progress toward that objective with the launch of this project that will enhance medical services in San Lorenzo. It marks a new chapter for health services in this municipality and will deliver crucial support to countless residents who will benefit from a fully-equipped facility for emergency care.”
The Health Secretary emphasized the dedication to enhancing medical services in municipalities needing more robust infrastructure.
“The forthcoming emergency room in San Lorenzo is a direct answer to the necessity of improving the conditions under which we care for our citizens,” Mellado López stated. “This facility will be vital in delivering the rapid and effective care that our residents rightfully deserve.”
He noted that the business plan created by the government received approval from the Financial Oversight and Management Board, with an anticipated cost of $2,858,401 for the initial year of operations.
Mayor Alverio Ramos expressed gratitude for the initiative, highlighting it as a key priority for the municipal administration and stressing its beneficial effects on both health and the local economy.
“Today marks a momentous occasion for our community,” the mayor stated. “This emergency room will not only enhance health services in San Lorenzo but will also positively influence the local economy by creating jobs and reinforcing our health infrastructure.”
The new emergency room will include radiology and laboratory services, operating around the clock, every day of the week. This project contributes to the rebuilding efforts in San Lorenzo, where 99 additional initiatives are underway with investments surpassing $22 million, alongside another 50 projects that have already been finalized with $18.7 million from Federal Emergency Management Agency resources.
