Jennifer Mendoza
Research expert covering health, pharma and medtech
Health in Peru - Statistics & Facts
Located in western South America and housing over 34 million people, Peru is the fourth largest and the fifth most populated country in Latin America. As a unitary presidential republic, this megadiverse country holds the sixth largest gross domestic product (GDP) in the region. When it comes to its healthcare system, the Andean nation ranks thirteenth regionally in its capacity to treat diseases and stands last based on health expenditure as a share of its GDP. Despite its relatively low investment in health, life expectancy in Peru had been constantly increasing during the years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching values comparable to the regional average, and with a continually decreasing death rate.
Despite positive developments towards universal coverage, access to quality healthcare services in Peru remains limited. According to public opinion, many people cannot afford good healthcare, waiting times for appointments with doctors are too long, and the healthcare system is overstretched. In fact, Peru has one of the lowest physician rates in Latin America. In many cases, Peruvians opt for private alternatives ranging from out-of-pocket coverage to traditional practices.
The Peruvian healthcare system
Health care in Peru is divided into three main coverage schemes: a universal coverage plan, a social security program, and a private subsector. Peru’s universal coverage plan is known as Seguro Integral de Salud (SIS) and is a comprehensive health insurance aimed at integrating the most impoverished sectors of the population into the healthcare system. The scheme is complemented by a national social security program known as EsSalud. EsSalud incorporates salaried workers and offers services at lower prices compared to private institutions. Largely backed by these two schemes, around eight in ten Peruvians have access to healthcare insurance, with variations among regions and between rural and urban communities.Despite positive developments towards universal coverage, access to quality healthcare services in Peru remains limited. According to public opinion, many people cannot afford good healthcare, waiting times for appointments with doctors are too long, and the healthcare system is overstretched. In fact, Peru has one of the lowest physician rates in Latin America. In many cases, Peruvians opt for private alternatives ranging from out-of-pocket coverage to traditional practices.
Main health concerns
Peru’s healthcare system constraints have strongly impacted outcomes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite being one of the top five countries in the region based on vaccination rates, Peru has the highest death rate due to COVID-19 in the world. The COVID-19 pandemic was still considered one of the country’s biggest health problems by an estimated two thirds of Peruvians by mid-2022, a higher share than in 34 out of 35 countries surveyed. Cancer followed, with four in every ten people. In comparison, just over a third of people interviewed saw mental health and stress as some of the main health issues facing people in the South American country. Obesity was considered a major problem by a quarter of the interviewees.
