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Peru International Health Insurance / Healthcare System |
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Peru is located in the central western part of South America and is divided into three geographical regions consisting of the coast, the mountains and the jungle. It has a population of just over 29 million people.
Peru is one the poorest countries in the southern hemisphere and has been blighted by political and economic turmoil for many years. This has negatively affected the country's basic infrastructure, through long term neglect. There has also been a great divide in Peruvian society, with the poorest elements of the Peruvian population suffering inequalities for decades; the number of people living in poverty in the country has been assessed at 35% of the population.
The Peruvian healthcare system suffered from economic problems and internal conflict in the 1980's and 1990's. The Government of Peru struggled to deliver health services and many health facilities were forced to close, of the poorer number of the Peruvian population impacted the most.
Restructuring of the public health sector has been underway since 1995, with plans to improve administration, management and the quality of healthcare provisioning throughout the country being the key feature in this strategic overhaul.
At the present time, the standard of healthcare in Peru is mixed. In rural areas and small towns, the healthcare services are limited, while in Lima and other major cities the standard of healthcare generally available is considered adequate.
Use of the Peruvian healthcare services can be expensive, especially in the better quality healthcare facilities. Private healthcare facilities in the capital Lima and main tourist areas such as Cuzco offer a comprehensive range of health services and medical treatments. In the case of acute medical needs, patients will normally require treatment in a private hospital in Lima. All foreign nationals are required to pay for all healthcare services they receive in Peru, and it is recommended that you have Peruvian international health insurance to give you comprehensive medical coverage while in the country.
The Peruvian health sector is comprised of publicly and privately run healthcare providers operating in small health centres, small regional hospitals, large national hospitals, in non-government organization (NGO's) medical clinic, and private clinics and hospitals. The Peruvian health sector has been gradually evolving, with health reforms and scheme changes introduced since the mid 1990s. However, the main flaw in the country's healthcare system has been the distribution of health services, with a large proportion of society having inadequate access to any form of health services.
The Ministry of Health (MINSA Ministerio de Salud) in Peru has overall responsibility for the health sector in the country and is charged with ensuring the health of Peruvian citizens is satisfactory. The mission set by the Peruvian Ministry of Health is to protect personal dignity, promote health, prevent disease and ensure comprehensive health for all inhabitants of Peru. The MINSA is overseeing the Government’s planned implementation of the Universal Health Insurance scheme for the Peruvian health sector. The new policy provides for raising standards and widening health coverage to all citizens of Peru.
Part of the Peruvian healthcare system is the Essalud scheme, which has been integrated into the Peruvian social security system known as Instituto Peruano de Serguridad Social (IPSS). Essalud and the IPSS are part of the MINSA network, established to provide healthcare services to Peruvian citizens. As IPSS is a social security system in Peru, it is responsible for providing healthcare for the poorer elements of the population in Peru. The Essalud scheme provides Peruvians with healthcare services, based on regular contributions made through earnings either by an employee working for a company or a self-employed worker. Membership of Essalud will provide healthcare services for members and their families through a network of healthcare facilities. However, the Essalud has been criticized in the past for overcrowding and the long waiting periods patients have had to endure. When the Essalud was first introduced, it provided relief for the state-run healthcare services; however, the increased demand for public healthcare services is causing overwhelming pressures to revisit this scheme to solve current issues.
A ‘Basic Health-for-All Program’ was introduced into the Peruvian healthcare system by the MINSA. The program was aimed at strengthening the health services available to Peruvian citizens and to provide them with access to publicly run health services. However, the program still required patients to make payments for certain medical procedures and health services, which is a serious hindrance for a large proportion of the Peruvian society with low incomes.
The Peruvian government is now seeking to rectify the inequalities in the country's health sector, by implementing a Universal Health Insurance scheme in order to provide a wider range of health services.
A key part of the planned Universal Health Insurance is the distribution of fair and more accessible healthcare services to all social groups in Peru. In 2010, the President of Peru signed a supreme ordinance which approved the framework of law for the Peruvian Universal Health Insurance scheme, which will provide all Peruvian citizens with equal access to quality healthcare services. When the Universal Health Insurance is fully adopted participation will be a compulsory government requirement to ensure Peruvians have quality access to healthcare.
The Peruvian public healthcare system is comprised of national hospitals, regional hospitals, and primary health clinics, which are responsible for delivering health services to the Peruvian population. Primary healthcare in Peru is delivered in health clinics managed by doctors, nurses and medical assistants.
The Peruvian Ministry of Health has a number of large referral hospitals; the Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza, the Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia and the Hospital Nacional Dos de Mayo are the main healthcare facilities in Peru. The main referral hospitals are located in the capital Lima and provide comprehensive medical facilities for Peruvian citizens following referral for specialist medical treatment by a doctor from either a primary healthcare center or regional hospital. There are also publicly run regional hospitals spread across the country in areas such as Chiclayo, Iquitos, Huacho and Ayacucho. The majority of hospitals are well equipped and provide a broad range of healthcare services. However, as they are publicly run healthcare facilities, it often means there can be prolonged waiting periods for patients seeking medical consultations.
The Peruvian private healthcare sector has been evolving over recent years to take advantage of opportunities for growth in the wake of poor quality of healthcare services provided by the Peruvian government in the 1990's. Privately run healthcare facilities have flourished, providing higher standards and a more comprehensive range of health services to those members of Peruvian society who can afford to use them. Currently the publicly run healthcare facilities provide Peruvians with a good quality of health service, although it is not fairly distributed across the country, being concentrated in the more densley populated regions.
San Borja Clinic is a privately run healthcare facility, which was established in 1975. This provides modern and technologically advanced medical services. San Borja Clinic is equipped with intensive care units, operating rooms with a 24-hour emergency service for patients and offers an extensive range of health services.
The Anglo American Clinic in Lima caters for foreign patients, with medical staff who can communicate in English; it offers comprehensive medical treatments and a surgical team who can perform a numerous range of procedures.
The Clinica San Pablo (Surco) is a large private hospital with a network of medical professionals exceeding 350 in number, with competencies in over 70 different medical specialties. It is regarded as a medical center of excellence, with dedicated facilities in the medical fields of paediatrics, cardiology, oncology and an Institute of Otolaryngology. The hospital also offers patients VIP services, with large private rooms and specialist personal treatment facilities. Clinica San Pablo (Surco) has a number of facilities from small clinics to hospitals, with a good network of medical specialists, providing a western style of healthcare service. It caters for foreign nationals offering them a comprehensive range of medical treatments.
As a foreign national in Peru, you can be assured that there is a high standard of healthcare available in Peru – especially in the private health sector – offering comprehensive medical treatments in comfortable facilities. However, the cost of healthcare services in the better quality healthcare facilities in Peru can be extremely expensive, and it is recommended that all visitors to Peru take out comprehensive Peruvian international health insurance for the duration of their stay in the country.
Visitors to Peru need to be aware of health issues which can affect your time in the country. There are numerous diseases endemic to certain regions of Peru, which can blight an area during times of outbreaks. Malaria, yellow fever and dengue fever are the main infectious diseases which foreign nationals need to take precautionary measures against. Malaria and dengue fever are contracted by mosquito bites; therefore it is important an individual takes measures to lower the risk of an infected mosquito biting an individual. For yellow fever, it is recommended a visitor to Peru has the vaccination against the disease as it is common in some regions of the country – such as east of the Andes Mountains – and a certificate confirming vaccination may be required when traveling from Peru to another country.
If you plan to visit the mountainous regions of Peru which are at altitudes exceeding 9,000 feet (3,000 meters), you need to be aware this can have debilitating effects on your health. Popular areas for foreign nationals to visit are Cusco, Puno and the Colca Canyon which are at high altitude. It is recommended that on your first few days after arrival in these areas, you drink plenty of water, eat small light meals and do not drink alcohol. If you are traveling with a health condition, respiratory problem or high blood pressure to areas above 9,000 feet in Peru, it is advisable to seek doctor’s advice before undertaking this activity.
The Peruvian healthcare sector does provide good quality healthcare services for those who have access to health services in the country. The planned National Health Insurance scheme aims to rectify the inequalities in the public healthcare system by eradicating the flaws currently existing in the Peruvian health sector. Implementation of the National Health Insurance policy will address the problems associated with low income sections of the population, with the aim of ensuring all Peruvian citizens have access to high quality health care.
As a foreign national in Peru, you can be assured that there is a high standard of healthcare available in Peru – especially in the private health sector – offering comprehensive medical treatments in comfortable facilities. However, the cost of healthcare services in better quality healthcare facilities in Peru can be extremely expensive, and it is recommended that all visitors to Peru take out comprehensive Peruvian international health insurance for the duration of their stay in the country.
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Peru International Health Insurance |
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If you are looking for peace-of-mind knowing that medical costs will be covered in case of an accident or illness, to yourself and your family, while traveling to or residing in Peru, international health insurance plan will be the ideal solution. Policies can be tailor-made to ensure all your needs are met while in Peru. Should you require further information on Peru, international medical insurance, or to receive a free quotation, please do not hesitate to call one of our expert advisers now. |
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