Annual Report 2014

highlights

NEW MAMMOGRAPHY DEVICE FOR THE FRAY BENTOS HOSPITAL FRAY BENTOS AT THE FOREFRONT

The Fray Bentos Hospital, supported by the UPM Foundation, has acquired a next generation mammography device that is benefiting over 90,000 women along the littoral of the country.

The Hospital’s previous mammography device dated back to 1985. “The equipment was obsolete, it had insurmountable technical problems and we were always having to suspend examinations”, explains the Director of the Fray Bentos Hospital, Dr De Giobbi. This new acquisition allows us to meet the existing demand in the Río Negro department and nearby areas by strengthening the process of decentralising health services. This department also received a leading imaging centre for the region. “This health centre used to send patients to other hospitals but we never received any. Now we see many patients referred to the Fray Bentos Hospital because here we carry out examinations for the region, Colonia, Soriano and Paysandú”, says De Giobbi. The acquisition of this mammography device is supported by the UPM Foundation contributions that have been made to give the Fray Bentos Hospital a leading imaging department for the region. These contributions began

in 2009 with the collaboration for the purchase of the X-ray machine and the improvement in IT infrastructure. The new equipment has transformed the Hospital into a teaching centre since it now operates a Care Teaching Unit for University of the Republic. 20 students specialising in Imaging who started their studies in Paysandú are currently enrolled in the third and fourth years at this centre. The creation of this teaching unit doubled the number of pupils on this Bachelor’s degree course in the heart of the country. The new service was presented on 21 March at a press conference at the Fray Bentos Hospital in the presence of the Minister of Public Health, Dr Susana Muñiz, the Mayor of Río Negro, Dr Omar Lafluf, the President of ASSE, Dr Beatriz Silva, the Director of the Fray Bentos Hospital, Dr Jorge De Giobbi and authorities of the UPM Foundation.

20

Studies a month 100

Hospital users 23.000

Students in training

67