History of Latin American Dermatology

E. SILVA-LIZAMA, P. H. URQUIZU, P. GREENBERG, S. DE LEÓNThe IGSS management created the Peripheral Units to extend its care program to thesuburban sectors of the city with the largest population. The Peripheral Unit of Zone 6started out with eight clinics, emergency services and a small operating room; the facilitieswere insufficient to handle the high demand by patients. In its place, the Dr. JuanJosé Arévalo General Hospital was inaugurated in 1984 with Dr. Noemí Quiñónez as headof the Dermatology service until 1996; since 1989 the post of dermatologist has been heldby Dr. Gerardo Bran Quintana. In 1994, the Peripheral Unit of Zone 5 launched its modernfacilities and Dr. Sergio Iván Cobar was put at the head of the Dermatology service 14 .At the Comprehensive Medical Care Center for Pensioners (CAMIP), the treatment ofpatients with skin ailments is carried out by Dr. Milagros Santos since 1995; the Centeralso treats the patients of the Rehabilitation Hospital.The IGSS is one of the largest institutions in the country; its care programs have beenextended to the interior of the republic, from which those patients are referred who intheir physician’s view require specialized dermatological treatment 19-25 .DERMATOLOGY AT THE ROOSEVELT HOSPITALIn the month of January 1942, the Third Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the AmericanRepublics was held in Rio de Janeiro. Through Resolution No. 30, adopted at thatmeeting, an agency of the government of the United States of America, called “Instituteof Inter-American Affairs,” was created with the principal aims of promoting the generalwelfare and strengthening friendly relations among the countries of the Americas.On August 14, 1492, the Institute of Inter-American Affairs – through its subsidiary,the Inter-American Cooperative Public Health Service (IACPHS) – signed a contract withthe government of Guatemala by which, in addition to certain other health activities, itcommitted itself to building a hospital.On December 15, 1955, the Roosevelt Hospital was officially opened with the launchingof the Maternity Department. Later, the Pediatrics Department and the Medicine andSurgery Department were opened (respectively 1957 and 1959). Dermatological treatmentwas provided by Dr. Eduardo Tschen, and gradually increased, until the Dermatologyand Allergy Unit was founded in 1960. Joining at later dates were Drs. FranciscoSaravia (1969), Rolando Vásquez (1970), who took over the leadership in 1985, EdwinGarcía (1981) and María del Socorro Obregón (1990). Dr. Neftalí Villanueva was head ofthe unit from 1988 to 1995, followed by Dr. Pablo Urquizu in 1996. The Roosevelt Hospital’sDermatology Unit bears the name “Dr. Eduardo Tschen,” in honor of the latter’stireless and praiseworthy work. Since 1990, the unit receives the collaboration of thedermatologists Carlos Villanueva in the surgery section and Manuel Antonio Samayoa inhistopathology.The “Dr. Eduardo Tschen” Dermatology and Allergy Unit currently offers outpatientcare, hospitalization, surgery and histopathology services; a high demand is met frompatients from across the country, most of them of low income 17, 18 .DERMATOLOGY AT DEPARTMENTAL HOSPITALSDermatology is a relatively young specialized field; nevertheless, it has spread to thediverse departments of the republic 27 . The following physicians may be mentioned:– Dr. Arsenio Champet provides his professional services at the General Hospital ofQuetzaltenango since 1977.– Dr. Luis Mont is a dermatologist at the Military Hospital of Huehuetenango since1978.– Dr. Álvaro Castellanos de La Roca is a dermatologist at the National Hospital of Escuintlasince 1983.238