Last week, Hernando Guerra Garcia, the Vice President of Peru’s Congress, passed away due to a heart attack in the southern city of Arequipa, revealing the inadequacies of the Peruvian health system. Guerra Garcia was at the time participating in the Perumin Convention – one of the largest global mining events.
Following his health deterioration, Garcia was evacuated to a local medical post, but unfortunately, no doctor was on duty to attend the emergency, necessitating a further transfer. Sadly, Garcia arrived without vital signs at Manuel Torres Muñoz Hospital – the second point of call – located in another district of the same province after a 30-40 minute journey.
The Regional Health Management of Arequipa, in response to the events, made a public statement on Facebook indicating that the initial health center attended by Garcia operates for 12 hours daily, shutting by 8.00 pm. Owing to the emergency occurring just minutes before midnight, the center had already been closed. Health Manager of Arequipa, Walter Oporto, touched on the longstanding issue of medical personnel shortage.
“There has been no negligence or carelessness on the part of the health sector”, claimed Minister of Health, César Vásquez, speaking to TV Perú. Vásquez aimed to emphasize the delicate situation was largely due to timing and unfortunate circumstance, as the health institution to which the Vice President was taken is, according to norm, a 12-hour facility.
This incident sheds light on the precariousness of the Peruvian health system and the dire need for improvement, underlining that the Peruvian State plays a crucial role in ensuring every citizen’s right to health. The hope is that so-called Plan Mil, designed to bolster the first level of care by implementing infrastructure, equipment, and human resources across one thousand national health facilities, will significantly improve the current situation. By 2024, the plan aims to have at least 60% of these facilities operational.
Everyone is waiting for the successful execution of this plan, ensuring strengthened healthcare ecosystem in Peru, where the right to quality health care in a timely manner belongs to everyone. For a more detailed look into this story, click here.