Health Dept. reaches deal to avert closing of Utuado Hospital

Designated Health Secretary Víctor Ramos Otero, alongside District 22 Rep. Joe “Joito” Colón and Utuado Mayor Jorge Pérez Heredia, secured a preliminary agreement on Wednesday to prevent the closure of Utuado Hospital, a situation that had raised significant concerns within the community.

The Hospital Metropolitano de la Montaña in Utuado had announced the closing of its emergency units to become a mental health institution. The agreement, reached through the combined efforts of local officials and a group of dedicated doctors, ensures that the mountain region hospital will continue to operate. In the upcoming transition period, the hospital will provide health services from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Additionally, an ambulance will be available to address emergency cases on the days when the hospital is transitioning. It is anticipated that services will eventually be extended to operate 24 hours a day, in order to meet the urgent needs of the populace. Colón expressed his relief regarding the outcome.