(El Universal) - "Minister of Health, Erick Rodríguez, informed 15 hospitals will be built around the country as part of the fourth phase of 'Barrio Adentro' social programme.

'They will also be integrated to the classic ambulatory system and hospital centres which already exist', Rodríguez said.

He said the construction of a new public health system began with the surgeries and continues now in phase four with the construction of state of the art hospitals.

'There will be surgeries in different neighbourhoods, with no regard to social class', he said. US$ 300,000 were invested in cooperatives and health committees to guarantee the maintenance and preservation of medical units.

Rodríguez said in Venezuela more than 220 million medical appointments have been made since the beginning of 'Barrio Adentro' social programme in April 2003 and more than 39,000 lives have been saved. Also 2,164,000 dental patients have been seen and 22 million eye glasses have been give"'.