The hemodynamics system of the Instituto de Previsión Social (IPS) has come under fire again after the breakdown of the angiograph at the Central Hospital, an essential device for catheterizations and other cardiovascular procedures. Patients have been waiting for weeks for urgent exams, and family members denounce the lack of responses from authorities.
One of the most recent cases is that of a 69-year-old man who was admitted to the IPS on May 3 and already had a scheduled date for the procedure. However, the defect in the device forced a rescheduling to May 26. His wife, María Luisa Rubia, stated that several patients are in the same situation and that some are referred to Hospital San Jorge, but the unit's capacity is insufficient to meet the entire demand. “It is an urgent study because it is decisive,” she lamented.
The situation recalls the case of Hermenegildo Ríos, a policyholder who waited more than 20 days for a catheterization due to the inoperability of the angiograph. Ríos had an 80% blockage in his carotid arteries and had already undergone an unsuccessful surgery due to complications with anesthesia. Family members reported that they had to bear high costs for medications and supplies, despite decades of contributions to the IPS. The fear is that the tragedy of Braulio Vázquez, a press worker who died while waiting for the same procedure, will be repeated.
In January, there were already complaints that the angiograph maintenance contract had expired in December 2025 and that using the device without technical assistance posed risks to patients. So far, the social security institute has not detailed when the hemodynamics system will be fully restored nor how it will ensure care for pending patients. Meanwhile, family members travel between hospitals and administrative offices, fearing that the delays will result in further deaths.