Posta Central begins investigation into man’s death due to a shortage of beds in the ICU

SANTIAGO.- An internal investigation has begun at the Posta Central public medical center to clarify the events that lead to the death of 84 year-old Juan Soza Aguilar, who passed away at the facility yesterday after suffering a heart attack.

According to the report filed by employees at the center, the patient died in the recovery room, allegedly due to the fact that there were no more beds in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

According to Radio Bío Bío, the Minister of Health, María Soledad Barría, expressed regret for the incident and stated that the patient should have been transferred to another health facility. For that reason, she said, she has requested that an investigation be carried out.

Soza entered the public hospital just after 2:00 PM yesterday and was diagnosed with a massive heart attack.  The man was manually given respiratory assistance in the emergency room for more than an hour.  Nevertheless, employees say that he should have been taken to an ICU bed and given mechanical respiratory assistance.