Borda Hospital
| Hospital Interdisciplinario Psicoasistencial José Tiburcio Borda | |
|---|---|
| Geography | |
| Location | Calle Ramón Carrillo, Barracas, Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Organisation | |
| Hospital type | Municipal |
| Affiliated university | University of Buenos Aires |
| Services | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1865 |
| Links | |
| Lists | Hospitals in Argentina |
| Other links | List of hospitals in Argentina |
The Hospital Interdisciplinario Psicoasistencial José Tiburcio Borda (alternate: Municipal Hospital of José Tiburcio Borda; nickname: El Borda) is the largest and most notable psychiatric hospital in Argentina. Situated on 20 hectares (49 acres), El Borda is located on Calle Ramón Carrillo, Barracas, Buenos Aires, next to the Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatric Hospital Garcia Tobar.
The hospital was founded in 1863 as Hospicio de San Buenaventura, renamed Hospicio de las Mercedes in 1888, and renamed to National Neuropsychiatric Hospital for Men in 1949. The last name change occurred in 1967 to honor the psychiatrist Dr. Jose Tiburcio Borda who joined the UBA Medical School faculty in 1891 and began working at Hospicio de las Mercedes shortly thereafter, staying on until his retirement in 1930.
In the mid-2000s, members of the Argentine rock band, Bersuit, wore pastel pajamas, like escapees from a lunatic asylum, as a tribute to El Borda. In 2008, the Buenos Aires government announced plans to close two psychiatric hospitals, El Borda and Braulio Moyano Mental Health Hospital, replacing them with ten smaller hospitals, halfway houses, and health centres. But two years later, the Ministry of Health stated that the government would not be closing El Borda. Graffiti covers many of El Borda's walls including the phrase No al cierre ("No to closure").
El Borda is built in the shape of the letter ‘H’, and has two wings on either sides of the main hospital, separated by garden areas. The large, park-like area is enclosed behind high bars. The hospital offers mental health services and a research centre linked to the University of Buenos Aires medical school. Admissions and discharges total approximately 1,300 patients each year, most within two weeks. Over 800 other patients are long term residents. Dr. Juan Garralda is the current director.
Of the several wards within the hospital, one, Penal Unit 20 Diego Alcorta, houses patients that are violent and come from the prison. It is a men’s forensic ward operated by the Federal Penitentiary Service, nowadays and fortunately this Unit is out of service, and the hospital remain without it.
The hospital has developed patient and ex-patient groups that have contact outside of the institution. These include Borda Artists’ Front (Fraente de Artistas del Borda), Radio Colifata (Radio La Colifata), and Bread of Borda (Pan del Borda).
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