Nosara town has a new health clinic that opened it doors in the Arenales neighborhood on May 24th. Although there is an EBAIS Clinic that provides free health services for those with social security insurance, many Nosara residents struggle with long waits at the overburdened building, so the fact that Nosara town now has a private easily accessed, full-service medical clinic to provide regular and emergency medical care to residents and visitors is being well received in the community.
The clinic is staffed by Dr. Jennifer Jiménez Madrigal and Dr. Nathalie Arias Matarrita, with Annie Perez assisting as nurse. Both doctors speak Spanish and English.
Rusvel Noguera Villareal, the owner of Super Nosara, provided the land and sponsored the construction of the clinic. “The people need this clinic,” said Noguera. “I care about this community. I built this clinic so that Dr. Jimenez can take care of the people who live here. We don’t talk about the money; we talk about the need in the community.
This is not the first private health clinic that the district of Nosara has since there is the Paradise Medical Services clinic in Guiones, but for the people in Nosara town it was hard to access because many of them don’t have cars to drive the seven kilometers. The new clinic is also closer for the people of Ostional, who have medical care once a week on Mondays, when a doctor from the EBAIS travels to the town.
“Something needed to change here,” affirmed Noguera. “Think about a simple thing like a cook who cuts a finger working in a restaurant, which is not uncommon here. And yet, that employee and employer lose a day of work because of the long wait for medical care at the EBAIS. Now that situation is resolved.”
The new clinic is called Centro Médico Nosara and has two examination rooms and a reception area. In addition, Dr. Jimenez is obtaining the permits required to open a large, on-site pharmacy. There is an office for a psychologist in the future, an office for holistic remedies such as massage, and room for an expansion for a dental clinic. The clinic has an electrocardiogram machine on-site. Blood samples will be transported to Nicoya for processing.
Jimenez said that they will charge 25,000 colones ($50) for a consultation but assured that people should not let their inability to pay the full amount stop them from using the clinic. “Personally, I’ve been able to meet people that livein deplorable conditions, and access to quality medicine should not have any impediment, especially not for economic reasons,” she said. “Each case will be studied independently, so people shouldn’t be afraid to visit us.”
The consultation fee will also cover supplies such as standard injections, nebulizers for asthma, PAP smears, minor stitches, intravenous serums and other services.
Jimenez is a graduate of the International University of the Americas. She practiced emergency medicine with the Servicio de Emergencias CCSS (Social Security Emergency Room) in Limon. She is married to Miguel Arguedas, Jr., who runs a transportation service in Nosara, and they have two children. “I wanted to be a doctor even when I was a little girl,” said Jimenez. “I enjoy my work.” She has lived in Nosara for two years and has volunteered at the Red Cross during that time.
Dr. Natalie Arias moved to Nosara in January 2014 after marrying Andrew Saxton, a realtor in Nosara. Her mother and grandmother are both from Nosara, so she has strong family ties here. Arias just finished her final residency at Hospital Mexico in San Jose. She graduated from the University Latina in San Jose and hopes to specialize in pediatrics as her career continues.
The Centro Médico Nosara is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is located right next to the Gollo store; the two businesses share the same entrance and parking area. Both doctors are available for emergencies. Dr. Jiminez’s cell phone number is 8320-4111 and Dr. Arias’s cell phone number is 8682-5376.
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