Country Profile

Linking health care needs and technology across the continents

Global Medical Engineering Physics Exchanges (GMEPE)
& Pacifc Health Care Conference (PAHCE)


Conference, workshops, and exhibits
Cooperation/Linkages

An independent forum for emerging medical technologies and innovations in procedures and techniques, equipment and appliances, which brings health care industries together with medical personnel, engineering and technical professionals, and those engaged in medical information technologies in the academia, hospital and clinical settings, and related sectors.

PAHCE 2006 - 2015, GMEPE/PAHCE 2015-2020  See    -  News

(Past and present) Supporting organizations: UTP, US, UF, ISEP, INESCTEC, IEEE-PT, CINTESIS, UP, CSIC, SEIB, SEFM, CTH, UV, MdeVM, CORAL, SOCHIB, IEEE Chile, UCentral, UnB, FINATEC, Ruta N, UDEA, UPB, EIA, CES, BPEI, HUCFF, SBEB, UERJ, INMETRO, UFRJ,  ACSUP, IEEE LA, INR, CINVESTAV, INSN, UPCH, IEEEPERU, PUCP, UABC, URP, UNMSM, ICYTDF, SOMIB, EMBS, ACCE, CMIA,   and more >   (Check for updates)

PAHCE originally initiated in cooperation with: PAHO (Pan American Health Organization), WHO (World Health Organization); and  endorsed by: IFMBE , IUPESM.

 

Country Profile - Americas

 

The strive and need for new developments in and broader accessibility to Medicine (patient care), Medical Information Technologies, Health Care Engineering (biomedical, clinical and hospital  engineering, Medical Physics  is  common to all the linguistic regions of the American continent. Overall, health care engineering as a field combining medical and technical advances parallels and merges  the most technologically demanding specialties of engineering. The use of medical devices increases almost 10 percent per year worldwide and the Americas share common challenges in health care and technological support of the solutions.

 
The conference provides a forum and a linkage for the  personnel of health care delivery institutions such as hospitals and clinics, academic institutions encompassing education and training in related areas, and medical device and equipment industry within the Americas.
 
The conference, in addition to regular sessions, will include a training workshop for the personnel involved in the direct engineering and technical support of patient care, hospitals, and clinics. In particular, the conference  will focus on the status of medical technology, its maintenance and acquisition throughout the Latin American sphere and linkage to North American models of support and manufacturing of medical technology as well as academic training.
  

Health care and related industry facts

  
The medical device industry in the U.S., with sales of approaching $60 billion,  which became bigger than the steel industry is one of  the most dynamic sectors of U.S. high technology. The medical device industry is represented by 13,000 manufacturers. California alone represents about 19 percent of nation’s medical industry which is equivalent to industrial activities of the  next three states combined. The needs for medical technology are increasing worldwide and this includes the Americas from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego.
 
In the U.S. approximately 65 % of patient care depends on technology. It is estimated that 4,800 legislative codes and standards relate to the health care environment. Further, it is estimated that spending for health care in the U.S. will reach $2.1 trillion by 2007 or about $7,100 per person. Hospitals alone will account for about 30% of health care expenditures.
 
In general, the percent of bachelor’s degrees awarded in engineering disciplines ranged from 6.9% in the U.S. and 7.5% in Canada to 13.5% in Mexico. It placed Mexico as 12th, Canada as 21st, and United States as 22nd country globally. “The number of biomedical engineering jobs will increase by 31.4 percent through 2010 -- double the rate for all other jobs combined, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.”
 
As America’s population is exceeding 870 million and its largest population centers with Sao Paulo, Brazil (19,245,000); Mexico City, Mexico (18,755,000);  New York City, USA (17,062,000);  Los Angeles, U.S. (13,652,000); Buenos Aires, Argentina (12,354,000); Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (11,063,000) are among largest - health care engineering support continues to be a continental challenge. The strive for new developments and broader accessibility of biomedical, clinical, and hospital engineering, or health care engineering in general is common for all these linguistic regions of the American continent.
 

Organizing Committee     

  

 (Note: Country Profile editors:  see below)  


Country and Health Care related profile

Note: Selected countries are listed in geographical order.


 
Country: Canada

Top

  
1. Population
  • Population: 32,000,000
  • Multicultural with French and English the founding cultures
2. Major urban centers
  • Toronto (5,200,000); Montreal (3,600,000); Vancouver (2,200,000); 
  • Ottawa-Gatineau (1,100,000); Calgary (1,000,000); Edmonton (1,000,000)
3. Selected data.
  • Healthcare system is publicly funded and administered on a provincial or territorial basis with guidelines set by the federal government.
  • Healthcare statistics: 61,000 physicians and surgeon, 247,000 nurses, 4.1 hospital beds per 1,000.
  • Major universities: McGill University, McMaster University, University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, University of Western Ontario
  • Universities offering degrees in  Biomedical Engineering: Dalhousie University, McGill University, McMaster University, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Toronto, University of Western Ontario
  • National Healthcare Research Funding Agency: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
4. Other Information.
  • In 1950 Dr. John A. Hopps, a Canadian electrical engineer, developed the world’s first artificial cardiac pacemaker. Later Dr. Hopps founded the Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering Society.

Dr. Richard Snyder     


  
Country: United States

Top

  
1. Population
  • U.S. = 296,283,000; California = 36,810,000 (2005)
  • U.S. Population groups (in millions): Whites = 240.0; Hispanics = 41.3; Blacks = 39.2; Asians = 14; Native Americans = 4.4; Native Islanders = 1.0.   Total = 294 millions.    Source: US Census Bureau (2004)
2. Major urban centers
  •  New York City (8,143,197);  Los Angeles (3,844,829); Chicago (2,842,518); Houston (2,016,582); Philadelphia (1,463,281). (2005)
  • Southern California’s Orange County population is 3,057,000 (2005)
3. Selected data.
  • More than  5,000 hospitals; 575,000 Physicians and Surgeons; 157,000 Dentists; 3.25 Million Nurses; 12,500 Hospitals and Clinics; 53,100 Pharmacies; 55,100 Chiropractors; 36,300 Optometrists; 24,400 Physical Therapists.
  • Major universities (California)
    • California’s educational system on the university level includes University of California system with eight campuses including  Berkeley, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, and other; California State University with 23 campuses including Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Fullerton, and other; private universities including Stanford, University of Souther California, University of San Francisco, and many other.
    • Among ten worlds’ best universities seven are located in the United States and out of those three of them located in California  although the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic founded in 1538; National University of San Marcos in Lima, Peru founded in 1551, and the Colegio de San Nicolas Hidalgo in Morelia, Michoacan get a distinction of being among the oldest universities within the Americas.
4. Other Information.
  • California home to 39 million people embodies worlds’ 5th economy, and alone represents about 19 percent of nation’s medical industry.  The state is home to 400 hospitals and has 93,000 doctors and 202,000 nurses.

Christopher Druzgalski, Ph.D.     
Luis Castro Pou, MSc      


Country: México

Top

  

1. Population

  • Country Total = 108,576,411 ( male 53,955,452/ female 54,620,959)

Age Structure:

  • 0-14 years:            31,104,531 (male 15,877,417/female 15,227,114)

  • 15-64 years:          71,418,481 (male 35,342,307/female 36,076,174)

  • 65 years and over:   6,053,399 (male 2,735,728 /female 3,317,671)

2. Major Urban Centers
 
  • Distrito Federal (D.F. 8,815,694); Guadalajara (1,600,894); Monterrey (1,133,070); Puebla (1,485,941);  Tijuana (1,410,000) 

 

3. Selected Data
 
  • Mexico has more than 47,719 hospitals, 123,522 Doctors, 7,042 odontologists;189,747 nurses;12,000 pharmacies; 2,723 operating rooms; 1,795 radiology rooms; 2,024 units for clinical analysis .
  • The Mexican healthcare system is run by the offices of public health of each state and by the private sector, under the supervision of the offices for public health.  Instituto Mexicano de Seguro Social  (IMSS) and Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado (ISSSSTE) are the main institutions providing medical and hospital coverage to the Mexican population. There are also other social security funds to complement the health and social security programs such as those maintained by Petroleos Mexicanos  (Pemex) and Secretaria de Defensa Nacional  (Sedena); other funds for people lacking  medical insurance are SSA, IMSS and DDF.  According to recent estimates all these National Health System institutions provide coverage to 95% of the population.
  • In Mexico, the main universities are: 
    • Universidad Autónoma de Mexico: With 27,000 bachelor students and postgraduates; approximately 28,000 professors, and 19.000 researchers.
    • Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana: Total student population: 54,008; Undergraduate population 53,011; graduate population; 997 total number of students 129,242; and 13,685 faculty. This is the only school that offers bachelor degree, master, and doctorate degree in biomedical engineering. 
    • Benemerita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla: Student population total: 40,566. Undergraduate population: 28,184. Graduate population: 1,674. Total faculty: 3,260. Total full time faculty: 1,946. 
    • Universidad de Colima: Student population: 21,166. Undergraduate population: 9,958. Graduate population: 607. Total faculty: 1,251. Full time faculty: 456. 
    • Universidad Autónoma de Baja California: Student population: 21,726. Undergraduate: 21,143. Graduate: 583. Total faculty: 3,082. Full time faculty: 667. 
    • Universidad Veracruzana: Student population: 57,276 (includes informal education). Undergraduate: 42,845. Graduate: 1,655. Total faculty: 5,417. Full time faculty: 1,391

Dr. Marco Antonio Reyna   
M. Sc. Héctor Gerardo Arriola   
Dra. Martha Lorena Nava Martínez.  
  


Country: El Salvador

Top

  

1. Population

Data source:  Ministry of Health and Public Assistance. 

  
  • Country Total = 6,276.000

2. Major Urban Centers
  
  • San Salvador (Capital: 2,143,000); Santa Ana (606,000); San Miguel (534,000).
  
3. Selected Data
  
  • Public hospitals: 25
  • Private hospitals: 14
  • Private clinics: 7,000
  • Medical Doctors: Approx. 10,600
  • Pharmacies:
    • In the Capital city, no less than 200.
    • Out of the Capital city, between 10 and 50, depending on the city size.
  • Universities:
    • National University (Public)

    • “José Simeon Cañas” University, UCA ( Private - Catholic University )

    •  Don Bosco University ( Private - Catholic University )

    • "Dr. José Matias Delgado" University (Private)

    • Universidad Evangélica (Private)

    • Universidad Alberto Masferrer (Private)

Juan Carlos Ponce, BSCSE  
Dr. Gaston Gonzalez  
Dra. Karina Navarro de Gonzalez  


  
Country: Costa Rica

Top

  

1. Population

Data source:  Programa Estado de la Nación – Costa Rica (2001 – 2003), www.estadonacion.or.cr  

  
  • Country Total = 4,169.730

Other Data of Interest
Masculine population 2,120,706
Feminine population 2, 048,987
Population Density 81,6 hab/km2

Life expectancy: (years)

       Men: 76,24

Women:  80,65
Infants mortality rate 10,1 for each 1,000 born alive
Population with basic healthcare programs 3,599,939
Population with healthcare insurance 4,129,099
Hospital beds for each 1,000 habitants 1,42
  
2. Major Urban Centers

Data source: Distribución Político-Administrativa de Costa Rica, UCR, www.odd.ucr.ac.cr   

  
  • San José (1,345,750); Alajuela (716,286); Cartago (432,395); Heredia (354,732)
3. Selected Data 
  
  • The Costa Rica Ministry of Health, warrants the efficiency and effectiveness of the healthcare system.  This is done by the Minister, with the full participation of many social entities that contribute to maintain and improve the quality of life of the population and the country development, under the principles of equality, solidarity, and universality.
  • The Costa Rica Social Security Institute (CCSS), is the executive of the national healthcare plans, politics, and strategies; also, it helps establishing the integration of community in the preventive national healthcare programs.
  • The healthcare system has 33 hospitals distributed as follows:
    • 7 national hospitals:  These are the country's most advanced healthcare centers, and consequently the most complex.
    • 7 regional hospitals These work as general hospitals with 4 basic specialties: internal medicine, surgery, OB-GYN, and pediatrics; also, providing the sub-specialties of higher demand for each region.
    • 14 peripheral hospitals:  These type of hospital, constitute a backup for the hospitals of less capacity in the semi-urban or rural zones, outpatient clinics, and other small public clinics/centers in the area.
    • 4 private hospitals.
  • Costa Rica has, in the different healthcare medical centers: 8,608 physicians and 6,400 nurses.
  • Costa Rica is the only country in Central America where Engineering in Electro-medicine is studied since 1997, at the Universidad Latina de Costa Rica. Until now, there are in excess of 75 professionals graduated there.

José Raúl Pino Alea   


  
Country: COLOMBIA

Top

 

1. Population

  •  42.500.000; Official language: Spanish; Multicultural society

2. Major Urban Centers
  • Bogotá: 7.884000, Medellín: 2.223.000, Cali: 2.068.000, Barranquilla: 1.112.000

3. Selected Data
  • Population distribution: Urban population percentage 76%, Rural population percentage   24%
    Life expectancy: Total 72 years; Women 76 years, Men 68.2 years; Infant mortality rate: 20 deceases for each 1.000 babies born alive 1 doctor per 741 inhabitants; 1 nurse per 2325 inhabitants; 1 auxiliary nursing per 549 inhabitants; 1 dentist per 2278 inhabitants National expenditure on health per year like a proportion of the GDP: Public   4.5%, Private 3.7% = Total     8.2%; Mostly of the industrial workers have a system of Social Security that provides services of maternity assistance and dental assistance, accident insurances, compensation payments and incapacity payments to the workers and retirement benefit. The system is financed through contributions from bosses, workers and government.

  • Main universities: CES University (www.ces.edu.co): recognized university in the health area, and first accredited medicine and dentistry careers in the country. Andes University (www.uniandes.edu.co): prestigious national university. University of Antioquia (www.udea.edu.co): First University of the country, offers diverse undergraduate programs and postgraduate programs.
4. Other Information:

 
Dr. José María Maya – Rector, CES University
Dr. Juan Esteban Valencia – Extension Director, CES University
  


  
Country: Peru

Top

 

1. Population

  • Country Total = 27,947,000 

  • Peru has the fourth largest population in South America with an urban population of 72.6% and a rural population of 27.4%

2. Major Urban Centers
  • Lima (Capital) = 8,011,820; Piura (1,710,790); La Libertad (1,573,106); Cajamarca (1,532,878); Puno (1,313,571); Junín (1,288,792)  

3. Selected Data
  • The medical system in Peru is managed by the Ministry of Health (Minsa), social security (EsSalud) and the armed forces. In the Ministry of Health there are 11389 medics, 10608 nurses, 1681 dental surgeons, 4723 obstetricians, 462 psychologists, 369 nutritionists, 416 pharmaceutical chemists, and 290 other professionals.
  • The higher education system in Peru includes state universities such as Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos founded in 1551, Universidad Federico Villareal, Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de San Agustín and others; among the private universities are Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú which is the only one that has biomedical engineering, Universidad Ricardo Palma, Universidad de Lima, Universidad del Pacifico and others.
4. Other Information:
  • Peru is characterized as a country with a great variety of natural wonders, a diverse climate, and historical past that includes MachuPicchu (Cusco) as the greatest treasure.

Dr. Rosa Isabel Alvarado  
M.en IB Rocío Callupe
M. en Ing. Carlos Lara Alvarado   


Country: Bolivia

Top

 

1. Population

Source: INE Bolivia Census 2001

  • Country Total = 8,274,325; Urban Areas: 5,165,230; Rural Areas: 3,109,095 

  • Population Groups: Aymará (28.03%), Quechua (27.71%), Chiquitano (1.27%), Guaraní (0.32%), Mojeño (0.32%), Others (0.96%), Mixed (23.57%), y No Natives (17.83%) (Source: Bolivia’s Health Situation 2004).

2. Major Urban Centers

Source: INE Bolivia Census 2001

  • La Paz: 2,350,466 habitants; Santa Cruz: 2,029,471 habitants; Cochabamba: 1,455,711 habitants

3. Selected Data
  • Health Care Infrastructure (2004): Total (2,706), Health Care Community Centers (1,369), Regional Health Care Centers (1,144), Basic Hospitals (142), General Hospitals (26), Specialized Institutes (25) (Source: Bolivia’s Health Situation 2004)
  • Professional Categories Distribution (including public, private, and social security sectors): 
    • Total (54.181 – 100%);
    • Medical Doctors (10.905 - 24.1%), Dentists (1.661 - 3.7%), Registered Nurses (4.751 - 10.5%): Professionals (17.317 - 40.7%), Technicians (4.77 - 10.6%), Nurse Assistants (10.044 - 22.2%): Ancillary services (10.643 - 23.6%), Administration (4.527 - 10.02%), Other (6.88 - 15.2%) (Source: Bolivia’s Health Situation 2004. SNIS 2002. INASES. Survey MECOVI 2.001. Dirección de recursos humanos. Ministerio de Salud y Deportes. 2004)
4. Other Information:
  • Health Care: In summary the health care conditions in Bolivia are characterized, in general, by high levels of infant and maternal mortality, and this is a high priority of the health care system; and, also high levels of transmissible diseases: endemic and epidemic diseases. Among endemics there are: Malaria, Chagas disease, tuberculosis and other; and among epidemic diseases, dengue and rabies (in 2004).
  • Human Resources:  In the last five years there is a tendency to improve the human resource production - according to PAHO - since there is a growing number of institutions offering careers in healthcare and science. Currently, there are 11 State universities and 17 private ones offering careers in healthcare related areas. At bachelor level: medicine, dentistry, nursing, biochemist-pharmacy, nutrition and dietician, and physiotherapy. There are 20 universities that offer medicine careers of which 8 are public. According to National Information for Superior Education (SNIES - Ministry of Education), the total of registered students in 2002 was 43,272 with 32,981 (76.2%) in public universities and 10,291 (23.8%) in private universities.
  • Budget and healthcare expenses
    • National expenses ( Total = $541,546 Thousand US $) - Public System (113,416), Social Security (222,410), Private System (205,720).
    • National Expenses as % of  GDP (6.95%), Public System (1.46%), Social Security (2.86%), Private System (2.64%).
    • National expenses per capita: US$ 61.37 (Source: Bolivia Situación de Salud 2004. Cardenas M, Avila R, A Esquivel. MSD, DFID, OPS/OMS, Cuentas Nacionales de Financiamiento y Gasto en Salud-Bolivia Dic. 2004)

 

  • Other webpages of Interest:
 

Ricardo Batista, MD. Msc - Epidemiological Surveillance
Carola Yucra, Eng
. 

  
Country: Brazil

Top

  

1. Population

Data Source:  Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) - July 2005  

 
  • Country Total = 184,594,591 

2. Major Urban Centers
 
  • São Paulo (10,927,985); Rio de Janeiro (6,094,183); Salvador (2,673,560); Belo Horizonte (2,375,329); Fortaleza (2,374,944); Brasília (Capital: 2,333,108)

3. Selected Data

Data Source:  Ministry of Health and Federal Councils  

 
  • 5,137 general hospitals; 1,145 specialized hospitals; 13,486 clinics; 301,167 active physicians; 202,787 dentists; 800,000 nurses; 85,571 pharmacists; 61,333 pharmacies; 11,000 ophthalmologists.
  • 45 university hospitals (included on the data shown above), are important human resources formation and technology development centers for the country's healthcare system. The effectiveness of healthcare services to the population allows for the continual improvement of these services, allowing the formulation of technical protocols for the diverse range of pathologies, which guarantees better levels of efficiency and effectiveness that reflect back as services in the network called "Sistema Unico de Saude" (SUS).  Finally, these hospitals offer medical internship programs (which is a mandatory pre-requisite for obtaining the medical board accreditation, after medical school.)
  • 102 medical schools (universities), including public and private schools, accredited by the Ministry of Education.
  • Main Brazilian universities ( Latin America ranking / World raniking)

According with the "World Universities’ ranking on the Web", Brazil has 10 of the top 20 main universities in Latin America (also classified among the top 1,000 world wide).

São Paulo State ...............

USP (2/112); Unicamp (3/146); Unesp (16/723);

Rio de Janeiro State ........

UFRJ (7/405) PUC-RJ (11/547);

Santa Catarina State ........

UFSC (8/464)

Rio Grande do Sul State ..

UFRGS (9/466)

Minas Gerais State ...........

UFMG (13/614);

Federal District, Brasília ...

UnB (14/647); 

Paraná State ....................

UFPR (20/939);
   

Walter Guerreiro Da Silva, MSc.
Saide Jorge Calil, PhD


Country: Paraguay

Top

 

1. Population

  • Paraguay has a population of 6,036,900 inhabitants according to the 2002 census. The density of the population is only 15 inhabitants per
     square kilometer, one of the lowest in South America. The life expectancy is 72 years for men and 77 years for women.

2. Major Urban Centers
  • The most important cities are: -Asunción, capital and one of the most important principle commercial centers and harbors in the country 
    (1,662,000 inhabitants); Ciudad del Este, one of the most important commercial centers on a global level (153,893 inhabitants); 
    San Lorenzo, the city that harbors the Campus Univeristario of the Universidad Nacional de Asunción with 20 hectares of terrain (133,331inhabitants).
3. Selected Data
  • 3.1 Type of Government: Republic 
  • 3.2 Election of Officials. Election by means of vote, each official has a five year term.  
  • 3.3 Health System: The health system in Paraguay is overseen by the Ministerio de Salud Publica y Bienstar Social (MSPyBS). Social Security is 
    overseen by the Instituto de Previsión Social (IPS). Currently the country distributes its health system in maternity/infant centers in a fight to lower the 
    infant mortality rate.  Average number of public health officials for every 1000 inhabitants:Asunción 16.87, Alto Paraguay 4.98, the average number of 
    Public Health doctors for every 10.000 inhabitants are distributed in the following manner: Asunción  35.27 , Dpto Central 5.049, Presidente Hayes 3.77 
    and the lowest coverage is in the Departamento de Canendiyu with 0.98. 
  • 3.4 Education System: Education in Paraguay is free and mandatory for those between the ages of 6 and 14. In 2003 the literacy rate was 94% 
    among adults. In 2002  950,125 students entered in primary schools and 459,260 in secondary schools, vocational and liberal arts college for teachers; 
    42,302 students entered in higher education facilities mostly attending Universidad Nacional de Asunción (1890) and Universidad
    Católica de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (1960), in large populated areas there are branches of Universidad Nacional: la Universidad
    Nacional del Este(UNE), Universidad Nacional de Itapúa(UNI), among others. Private universities include La Americana, del Norte, Autónoma
    de Asunción and others. 
    The head of primary and secondary education is the Ministerio de Educación  y Culto (MEC) and of superior education it is el Consejo
    Superior Universitario.
     
    The country is part of a unique faculty made up of engineers that specialize in Medical Electronics, the Facultad Politécnica depends on
    Universidad Nacional de Asunción, which in 2006 had its first promotion of professionals.
     
    The maintenance of teams of hospitals is, for the most part, in the hands of technical professionals without superior education, besides
    counting on scarce professionals with university level or post graduate degrees obtained in this area from abroad (Brazil, Mexico, Germany).
4. Other Information:
  • The country counts on natural resources such as freshwater reserves on a global level, the AQUIFERO GUARANI is an important part of two 
    important bi-national hydroelectric plants, ITAIPÚ (Paraguay – Brazil) and YACYRETA(Paraguay - Argentina). The first one being a major energy
    producer on a global scale. Producing 44,894 million KWh.
    Escobar Juan Dario Ortigoza, Dr.  
    Ortigoza Juan Nicolas, Est. de Ing

Country: Argentina

Top

  

1. Population

Total:  36.260.130

2. Major urban centers
  • Buenos Aires (CF): 2.776.138; Gran Buenos Aires: 8.684.437; Cordoba:  1.300.000; Rosario:  1.011.642.

3. Selected Data
  • Healthcare system:
    • Number of establishments with hospital admissions: 3.311, (38,38%)
    • Number of beds available in healthcare establishments: 153.065 
    • Number of establishments without admissions: 14.534, (44,41%)
    • The healthcare system is divided in four levels of complexity.  
    • Percentage of the population non-covered with healthcare: 48,1% 
    • Investment in healthcare: 7% of the National IBP. US $850 per capita during 1990-1998 period.
    • Human Resources: 
      • Professionals (Dr., pharmacists, biochemists, psychologists, dietitians, etc.): 212.400 - 53,3%; 
      • Nurses and nurse assistants: 81.000 – 19,6%; 
      • Engineers, Bioengineers and technicians: 12.100 – 2,7%, 
      • Social workers: 3300 – 0,7% 
      • Administration: 110.000 – 23,5% 
  • Major Universities:
    • 38 National universities, 41 Private universities, 6 State university institutes, 13 Private university institutes, 1 Province university, 1 Foreign university, 1 International university. 
    • Major Universities: University of Buenos Aires 324.000 students. University of Cordoba 96.000 students.
    • Institutions offering Biomedical Engineering (graduates): National University of Entre Ríos (550);  National University of San Juan (180); National University of Mendoza (10), Favaloro Foundation (20), National University of Tucumán and Córdoba (none yet).
    • Postgraduate Studies: There are various institutions offering related postgraduates studies - National University of  Entre Ríos, Favaloro Foundation, National University of Tucumán, and National University of Technology.
4. Other Information
  • 80 manufacturers of low and medium complexity medical equipment. 
  • Argentina exports technology mainly to other Latin American countries. 
  • There are representatives of the major international medical equipment manufacturers, in Argentina. 
  • All medical products must be certified by the Administración Nacional de Medicamentos, Alimentos y Tecnología Médica (ANMAT).
  

Ing. José María Flores - Chief of Engineering - Hospital “San Martín” – Paraná - Entre Ríos – Argentina
José L. Ciani – Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos

 

 

  
Country: Chile

Top

  

1. Population

  
  • Country Total = 15.116.435    ( Men 7.447.665; Women 7.668.740)

2. Major Urban Centers
  
  • Santiago (Capital) 6.061.185;  Valparaíso  1.539.853; Concepción 1.861.586; Antofagasta  493.894; Arica e Iquique  428.075
3. Selected Data
  
  • Public Health System Beneficiary Population: 10.495.449 

  • Registered Population: 8.569.917

  • The expense in public health is 49% of the public and private total expenses; and, it covers the needs of  76% of the population. 20% use private sector and the rest do not have health care insurance.

  • PROPOSED TECHNOLOGY FOR BASIC HEALTHCARE ATTENTION CENTERS

    • Imaging: Thorax Rx and dental Rx, mammography, OB-GYN and abdominal ultrasound.

    • Laboratory Services: 100% coverage of basic laboratory exams to the registered population.

    • Electrocardiography

    • Spirometry.

    • Minor Surgery - equipment and instrumentation.

  • Major universities:

    • 25 State Universities;18 public universities; 7 private universities with government support; 40 private universities.

    • Total number of university students: 370.763.

    • Main universities in the country: 

      • Universidad de Chile (23.548  students); Universidad Católica (17.192); Universidad de Concepción  (17.154); Universidad de Santiago (15.918); Universidad Federico Santa Maria  (5.617); Universidad de Valparaíso (11.100); Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (13.149); Universidad Austral (8.516); Universidad del   Norte (7.897); Universidad de  Tarapacá  (5.900)

4. Other Information:
 
  •  Biomedical Engineering degree: U. de Valparaíso (undergraduate); U. de Concepción (undergraduate); U. de  Chile (postgraduate); U  Católica  de Chile (postgraduate); Unicyt (private/undergraduate)
  • Medical Equipment Regulation - Participants: Ministry of Health  (MINSAL), Regional Healthcare Services, Public Health Institute (ISP), National Institute of Normalization (INN), Universities and Chilean Commission of Nuclear Energy (CCHEN) 
BME Eng.  Guillermo Enrique Avendaño Cervantes   
Medical Dr. Thelma Raphael Zurich  .

Note: 

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