The Doctor José Molina Orosa University Hospital in Lanzarote has become the first hospital in the Canary Islands to receive the prestigious “Excellent” certification for its work in eliminating hepatitis C.
The recognition was awarded by the Spanish Association for the Study of the Liver (AEEH) after the hospital successfully implemented the organisation’s Ten-Point Plan for the Elimination of Hepatitis C. The award ceremony took place on Friday, May 8, and was attended by senior health officials including Lanzarote Health Area director Erasmo García, Lanzarote Health Services manager Pablo Eguia, and AEEH president Rafael Bañares.
The certification follows an external audit assessing how effectively the hospital has introduced measures aimed at diagnosing, treating, and ultimately eliminating hepatitis C. The hospital achieved full compliance with all mandatory indicators, placing it in the highest “excellent” category.
Among the hospital’s key achievements are the introduction of one-step diagnosis systems, direct referrals to specialist care, and proactive patient outreach programmes, all designed to speed up treatment and improve patient outcomes. Auditors also praised the strong coordination between departments and the involvement of healthcare professionals across the hospital.
The award was presented to Dr Rubén Berenguer, head of Gastroenterology and coordinator of the certification process. He acknowledged the contribution of teams from Microbiology, Admissions, Internal Medicine, Gynaecology, and Pharmacy, as well as collaboration with the Lanzarote prison health service and the Addiction Treatment Unit, which have played an important role in reaching vulnerable groups.
Since the introduction of modern antiviral treatments in 2015, the hospital has diagnosed and treated 618 hepatitis C patients, including 23 through the Addiction Care Unit and 29 within the island’s correctional facility.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!