The stories of the waiting lists in the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) are never ending. Ask Marlyn Cruz, who has been suffering from constant pain under a rib for a year.
She has consulted in the Ebais and despite using anti-inflammatory medicine, the pain persists.
Given the situation, the doctor at the medical center ordered her to do two ultrasounds. For a moment she felt happy when she saw her appointment was for January 24th… A fraction of a second later she also read “2025”.
This means she will have to wait eight years to get a diagnose.
But not everything is bad, for the other exam was scheduled for March 31st, 2023!
This pain sometimes keeps me awake. It hurts day and night and sometimes it gets worse. (…) I told them it was urgent. I was sent to another window to see if they expedited the process, but they said no,”
said the resident of La Capri.
According to Cruz, who is insured, the doctor who checked her told her to get the ultrasounds in a private institution, so she did not have to wait that long.
My husband is unemployed and we cannot afford it. The 26th I have appointment again in the Ebais because the pain bothers me a lot. I cannot even touch my rib!,”
added the woman.
Despite paying the insurance every month, she said that she is constantly forced to buy pain medicines in pharmacies.