translated from Spanish: Report that at Mexicali Hospital prioritizes young patients

“They are making natural selection of patients, older adults, (people with) diseases go to tanatology, priority is being given to young people.”
It was reported by Carmen Vargas, a nurse at Mexicali General Hospital that cares for patients with COVID-19, who was now later denied by the Secretary of Health of Baja California, Alfonso Pérez Rico, who denied that this criterion is being applied in that state-dependent institution, but recognized the existence of a tanatology floor where palliative treatments are applied to people with the virus who are sensitive.
Nurse Vargas’ statement came amid a Monday night protest in the capital city of Baja California, one of the three states that has the highest number of COVID-19 deaths accumulates per 100,000 inhabitants in Mexico.
Read: Mexicali Clinic 30: the COVID-19 outbreak that began with the contagion of medical students
The protest was to denounce how 6-hour relays were taken away for lack of staff, as instead of having 60 workers they only have 40 per shift, and ensured that the team is inadequate, particularly green bed covers that give them for their work.
According to the testimony of the nurse with 29 years of service, who was accompanied by other of her colleagues interviewed in the vicinity of the General Hospital of Mexico, the elderly or with other diseases are being sent to the third floor, which is for evicted patients.
“It’s tanatology,” the area of palliative care for people who often evict, said the interviewee.
It was in this hospital that on May 19th the Low-Californian authorities placed a refrigerated trailer box for corpses, this in order to avoid possible saturation within the institution.
Interviewed about the nurses’ protest, BC health secretary Alonso Pérez Rico said they have already met with health personnel to address the demands of shifts and the issue of cover.
At the express question about the complaint of nurse Carmen Vargas, the Official explained that in this area of tanatology they not only send older adults, but also highly complicated patients, with super-decompensated comorities fighting COVID.
Find out: COVID-19 tests are insufficient in Mexicali and there is no team to deal with the virus: Colleges of Physicians
“(But) Just because we’re giving palliative care doesn’t mean we’re not doing anything to patients,” he said.
Interviewed separately, one of the medical officers provide supplies inside mexicali General Hospital, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said that although the situation inside the hospital is critical, for the number of contagions they attend, he has never stopped supplying materials and supplies for work.
On the sayings of fellow nurse Carmen, who said that priority is being given to young people over older adults or people with other conditions, she said that so far there is no such indication from hospital managers.
“We know that the situation is critical pear to everyone being cared for equally. There are critical cases and many deaths, but there has never been such an indication,” he said.
The Nurses’ Complaint
During Monday’s protest, nurse Carmen Vargas spoke on behalf of most of her companions, some of whom carried cardboard with the demands: “Day turn”. “Equal work”. “I’m a contract and I don’t have insurance” and “guard A,” among others.
“They are making natural selection of patients, older adults, (people with) diseases go to tanatology, priority is being given to young people,” Carmen said.
According to Carmen these patients are sending them to the third floor, which is the area of tanatology, “to die from previous diseases, diabetes, hypertension and no fans, I am sad to say and I feel sorry for the General Hospital, I have 29 years working here and there are no pandemics like this,” he said.
“They’re not going to live, they’re older adults, they don’t get intubated, they don’t do anything, they give priority to young people and of a certain age,” he explained.
There were more allegations at the protest.  Another of the nurses who took the floor (who preferred to omit his name for fear of reprisals) said that Mexicali General Hospital is at its maximum capacity and in the emergency area they have to wait for a bed, which is vacated when someone dies or is taken to the floor.
“Contagions are not falling, every day they go up 80 to 90 a day and almost mytad is not enough to make it or he comes here seriously,” he explained.
Another of them stated that about 6 people died daily per shift and that, last Wednesday, June 3 and Friday, June 5, patients died waiting for a bed in the absence of hospital capacity and health personnel to care for them.
They accused the authorities of making up figures for people who died of COVID-29 as in recent weeks daily deaths are reported only in the General Hospital, so it does not fit with the version that there are days when there are no deaths.
(With information from Radar BC, Pregonero Baja and Francisco Sandoval Alarcón).
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Original source in Spanish