Panama’s CSS Transfers 98 Patients to the New Manuel Amador Guerrero Hospital

Colón PANAMA: Friday, December 5, the transfer of 98 hospitalized patients from the old Manuel Amador Guerrero Hospital to the new and modern facilities located in Coco Solo took place, which officially began operations  The general director of the Social Security Fund (CSS), Dino Mon Vásquez, emphasized that the promises made are being fulfilled:  “Today we begin the opening of this hospital. The new center has twice as many beds as the old Amador Guerrero, which will allow us to expand capacity and offer the services that the people of Colón deserve.” 

The mobilization began early in the morning under an operation coordinated by CSS personnel, security agencies , the Transit and Land Transportation Authority (ATTT), the Colón Free Zone and the 911 Single Emergency Management System, guaranteeing a safe and orderly process for all patients.  For her part, Dr. Marlin Cedeño, national director of Health Services at the CSS, explained that meticulous logistics were executed to complete the total transfer of patients to the new hospital, an infrastructure ceded by the Ministry of Health to the CSS for its implementation for the benefit of the population of Colón. 

He added that “this hospital has a wide range of services: surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, neonatology, wound care and all the services typical of a second-level hospital, but with a higher level of complexity.”

Dr. Manuel Amador Guerrero Hospital joyfully welcomed the birth of its first baby in its new facilities. This birth marks a historic moment for healthcare in the province of Colón, reflecting the progress and modernization of medical services in the region. Medical staff emphasized that the entire process unfolded smoothly and that both the newborn and the mother are in good health. This event fills the Colón community with hope, celebrating life in a renovated space prepared to provide quality care.

Manuel Amador Guerrero: 

(June 30th 1833 to May 2nd 1909)

He was the first president of Panama from 20 February 1904 to 1 October 1908. He was a member of the Conservative Party.

Early life

Manuel Amador Guerrero was born on 30 June 1833 in Turbaco, in the Bolívar Department of the Republic of Colombia to María Mercedes Guerrero Córdoba and José María Amador Leguina. Very little is known about his childhood and teenage years, but he studied to be a surgeon and graduated from the Universidad de Magdalena e Istmo in 1854.

Career

Amador came to Panama in 1855 settling in Colón and started working on the Panama Railroad as a doctor. After a year, he also took a job as the postmaster. After moving to Santiago de Veraguas, Amador began a export business “Amador Hermanos”, with his brother, Juan De Dios Amador Guerrero, and continued his work as a doctor and in governmental posts. He acted to the District Administration, working on the Municipal Council, and serving as a deputy to the House of Representatives for the Veraguas State in the Republic of New Granada in Bogotá from 1858 to 1859. During the same period, he began serving in the State Legislature of Veraguas.

In 1866, Amador was appointed as the first successor for the Conservative Party, in the elections for the President of the Sovereign State of Panama. When the President Vicente Olarte Galindo died in office in 1868, Amador was to succeed his term as acting president but because he was running in the election, he chose to allow the second successor Juan José Díaz to take the post as acting president. When it became evident that Amador’s victory was assured for the presidency, General Fernando Ponce staged a rebellion and drove the Conservative supporters out of the capital and back to Veraguas. In the brief battles that occurred, Amador was captured and sent into exile Cartagena.

In 1869, Amador returned to Panama, probably settling again in Santiago de Veraguas, where his son Manuel Encarnación del Carmen Amador Terreros [as] was born to María de Jesús Terreros. He soon moved to Panama City and began working at the Hospital Santo Tomás. The hospital, a charity hospital built in colonial times, suffered from lack of management and funds, and Amador took on the task of managing and reorganizing it without pay for almost two decades of the twenty-nine years in which he worked there.  

He also opened and ran a pharmacy near the hospital on Avenue B.  It is probable his first wife died, as on 6 February 1872, Amador married Manuela María Maximiliano de la Ossa Escobar.  With de la Ossa, Amador had two children, Raúl Arturo, who as an adult was attached to the Panamanian consulate in New York City and Elmira María, who married William Ehrman, one of the owners of the Ehrman Banking Company.