Ecuadorian Society of Intensive Care (SECI)

The restructuring of Intensive Care Units of Ecuador started in the early 70s. The growth was slow until the next decade, during which units were progressively adapted to many hospitals and clinics across the country. In 1974, IESS’ Intensive Therapy in Quito became the pioneer of an incipient organization of such specialty.

In the early 80s, precisely on April 10, 18 professionals gathered in the auditorium hall of the FFAA General Hospital of Quito: from Quito (13) Guayaquil (4), and Cuenca (1), who and decided to launch the Ecuadorian Society of Intensive Medicine. During this meeting, Dr. Cristóbal Sarzosa (a pneumologist from Quito) was appointed to preside the first directive, while Dr. Alberto Lasso (an anesthesiologist from Quito), the Statute Commission. On February 25, 1982, the Ministry of Public Health, in accordance with the ministerial agreement No. 358, approved the creation of the ECUADORIAN SOCIETY OF INTENSIVE MEDICINE (SECI). 

At first, the Statutes of the Society adopted the same legal bases as those adopted by the Society of Surgery, whereby a National Society and the future formation of a provincial core were contemplated. However, many years have gone by, perhaps too many, for the institutionalization of SECI to take hold and become stronger. In 1993, the Statutes were updated and modified, and the SECI name was changed to Ecuadorian Society of Critical Medicine, with the first National Congress being held, and the Azuay center established in 1995. In the same year, neonatology pediatricians joined in, and nurses were allowed to participate within the organization.

Over the years, the Society has witnessed the replacement of a good part of its initial promoters, who are now dedicated to promote other specialties and encourage new specialists to reach other parts of the country. However, many imbalances are still visible,  exposing the common internal situation of the country’s institutions, which are characterized by signs of regional disarticulation, circumstantial interests, administrative apathy, and personal conflicts, all of which result from an autocratic  leadership, excessively prolonged periods of managerial positions without elections, group conflicts, and poor national projection.

For more information, please visit: https://sites.google.com/view/secipichincha/bienvenidos?authuser=0