Having recently lost my father, a retired US expat, to complications from pneumonia, I would like to share our experience. My father was seen by Dr. Blanco of Granada as his GP for many years and the care was excellent. However, on his last and final bout of pneumonia Dr. Blanco for whatever reason refused to make a house call after a panic call from my mother that he had slipped into a coma. By the time my father was rushed by the red cross to a hospital in Masaya, his coma was irreversible and he died one month later. It is not about Dr. Blanco that I write, I will leave that breech of medical astuteness to his conscience. It is about the absolute wonderful care my father received at the Sta Gema Hospital in Masaya under the care of Dr. Diaz. Sadly, after a heroic battle by the hospital he died, but I urge fellow expats in Granada to consider this hospital as at the very least a 24 hr urgent care facility if you prefer to be treated by hospitals in Managua. This three floor, full function hospital has an ambulance, xray, ultrasound, laboratory and can perform all types of both emergency and elective surgeries. Given the abject squallier at the nearby Japanese hospital on the outskirts of Granada and the unknown performance of soon to be inaugurated Blue Cross hospital intended for national health care use, Sta Gema is best bet for expat medical needs south of Managua. Their number is 25220052.
