The Encarnación Regional Hospital has become the referral center for the hospitalization of patients with mental health disorders in the interior of Paraguay, following the inauguration of a Psychiatric Inpatient Unit that began operating just over a month ago.
The new service has eight to ten beds for patients requiring hospitalization, preventing the need for them to be transferred to the Neuropsiquiátrico Hospital in Asunción, as was previously the case.
The unit was established through a joint effort between the Regional Hospital and the Itapúa General Hospital, after an analysis identified the growing demand for mental health care in the region.
Dr. Juan María Martínez, director of the Itapúa General Hospital, mentioned that anxiety disorders, depression, and chemical dependencies are among the main reasons for consultations, both locally and worldwide, which required an immediate response to strengthen specialized care.
With the new unit, the Regional Hospital receives patients from Itapúa and also from neighboring departments, such as Misiones, where they remain hospitalized for short periods, up to one month, for clinical stabilization.
Subsequently, patients are reintegrated into their homes and continue with outpatient follow-up by psychiatrists, psychologists, and their families, promoting comprehensive treatment within the community.
Authorities emphasize that this model replaces the old psychiatric care scheme based on prolonged hospitalizations, aligning with the national mental health reform that seeks to avoid the permanent isolation of patients.
In parallel, the Itapúa General Hospital is celebrating its first year of operation with results considered historic. Since its inauguration in July 2025, the facility has handled more than 282,000 consultations, carried out 17,096 hospitalizations, and assisted in 2,478 births.
The center also performed more than 12,000 medium and high-complexity surgeries, in addition to treating 1,299 patients in its Intensive Care Units. The hospital's high-complexity laboratory carried out 2.5 million laboratory determinations.
The hospital provides services to the 30 districts of Itapúa and receives patients from various departments across the country. More than 228,000 people treated did not have health insurance, reaffirming the institution's crucial role in guaranteeing free and timely access to healthcare in the southern region of Paraguay.