Between August 21 and 23, the MATER Children's Renal Corporation carried out at the Dr. Juan Noé Crevani Regional Hospital the first children's surgical operation of the "Growing up without Waiting" program in the region of Arica and Parinacota. The initiative, developed in partnership with the local Health Service, allowed 26 children to undergo surgery, contributing to reduce the waiting list for non-GES pathologies in the area.
The volunteer medical team, led by Dr. José Manuel Escala, president and founder of MATER, with national and regional specialists, performed low complexity surgeries such as phimosis, abdominal hernias, hydrocele and cryptorchidism. In addition, for the first time the operation included children's plastic surgery procedures - gynecomastia, nevus and correction of winged ears - thanks to the collaboration of the specialists of the Hospital Dr. Luis Calvo Mackenna: Dr. David Ferj and Dr. Cecilia Briones. This unprecedented collaboration strengthens MATER's national crusade, allowing a joint work that ensures the care of all scheduled patients.
The sessions were led by pilot physicians Dr. Alejandro Domínguez and Dr. Jaime Tobar. The team of volunteer specialists consisted of Dr. Margarita Aldunate (child surgeon), Dr. Virginia Montecinos and Dr. Carla Ramirez (anesthesiologists), and the child surgery fellows Dr. Marisol Guevara and Dr. Camila Gigli. The coordination of this operation was in charge of the head nurse of the program: Antonia Heusser.
"With this operation in Arica, we reaffirm our commitment to provide timely access to surgeries that prevent sequelae in childhood. The challenge of waiting lists is a national challenge, and in pediatrics this is even more urgent," said Dr. Escala.
Since its creation in 2014, "Creciendo sin Espera" has surgically intervened 667 patients throughout Chile, reaching a total of 748 surgeries. The program, which operates under a public-private collaborative model with support from the Ministry of Health, scientific societies, regional health services and strategic allies such as Sky, has been deployed in various regions and seeks a clear objective: to completely eliminate the non-GES children's surgical waiting list by 2026.
With this operation in the far north of the country, the program consolidated a new advance in its national crusade, reaffirming its seal of territorial equity, collaboration and commitment to the rights of Chile's children.
