Children and teenagers from the communities of Corralillos, La Guinea, Ortega and Bolson in Filadelfia de Carrillo have a new children’s health clinic that will provide them totally free services.
The clinic, located in Corralillos, closed its doors 25 years ago and reopened on July 12 under the supervision of Asociación Creciendo Juntos (Growing Together), a non-profit organization that has worked on developing the 19 communities surrounding the Papagayo Peninsula project in the province for two decades.
For more than two decades, people living in these towns had to travel to the nearest health center, located 15 kilometers (about 9 miles) from downtown Filadelfia. In addition to not having to travel so far, the goal of reopening the Creciendo Juntos Clinic is to offer essential health services with a preventive approach.
Preventive health isn’t normal in the communities where Creciendo Juntos is involved. Because they are really vulnerable, most of the population lives in poverty, in this case, without the financial resources to travel to Filadelfia to seek medical attention,” explained Elsa Bonilla, director of Creciendo Juntos.
“This physical barrier is amplifying health problems in the community, so ensuring access to preventive health is vital for these communities,” Bonilla added.
People can get appointments at the clinic for anemia, respiratory diseases, obesity, malnutrition, asthma, rhinitis, parasitosis, dermatitis, phimosis, mycosis, otitis, healthy child and adolescent checkups and laboratory tests, among other things.
The health center has a general practitioner, a psychologist and a nurse. During the first week open, health personnel saw 76 patients.
Remodeling the building, which had been abandoned since it closed, was financed by Mohari Hospitality, an organization allied with Creciendo Juntos that will also cover the clinic’s monthly expenses.
Because the clinic infrastructure had been neglected for almost 30 years, it’s condition wasn’t suitable for caring for people, so it required remodeling. Photo: Courtesy of Creciendo Juntos (Growing Together).
Reopening it was also possible thanks to collaborative work between the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS), the Filadelfia Development Association, the Municipality of Carrillo and the Corralillo Health Committee.
CCSS’s participation in the project allows Creciendo Juntos to process lab tests and social security medications needed by patients.
Additionally, CCSS will carry out health campaigns and bring different specialists to the clinic’s facilities from time to time, including social workers, family medicine and obstetric nursing professionals, said Eva Camargo, medical director of the Carrillo Health Area.
Since 2011, Creciendo Juntos has had a regional health center that cares for minors, also free of charge. That center opened in partnership with CCSS, and it has served more than 42,000 children and youths during its 10 years in operation.
The organization also operates another health center in Comunidad de Carrillo in a format very similar to the new clinic in Corralillo.
Read more: Free Clinic Fills Void in Medical and Psychological Care for Minors in Carrillo
Creciendo Juntos Clinic
Who does it see? People from 0 to 16 years of age.
Where is it located? In Corralillos, 250 meters south and 50 meters east of the community’s ASADA.
How to get care? The minor’s father or mother should make an appointment by calling 2200-6789 or by going to the clinic in person. They can also email [email protected].
What are the clinic’s hours? Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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