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.