The Minister of Health closed the second edition of CADE Salud 2026, “Health in Peru: from diagnosis to treatment,” on March 26. The event aimed to promote concrete proposals for immediate action focused on citizens during the electoral context.
The topic is significant as it addresses key challenges in Peru’s healthcare system, including access, quality, and financial protection for all citizens regardless of their location or status.
“We reaffirm our willingness to work in a coordinated, transparent manner oriented toward results, with a single objective: to ensure that every citizen, regardless of their condition or place of residence, has access to timely and quality health services with financial protection,” said the Minister.
The Minister announced that the Ministry of Health will update the regulations on referrals and counter-referrals. “Before July 2026, we will leave this new law behind; it has not been changed for two decades,” he said. He also stated that changes would be made regarding medical residency distribution: “Specialists should go according to each regional disease need—not by parameters set by Lima; we will implement this change this year,” Velasco said.
On financing issues, the Minister said that the challenge lies not only in how much is invested but also in how resources are managed. “We must strengthen public provision and optimize procurement and supply mechanisms,” he said.
He concluded by emphasizing innovation’s strategic role: “It is not a complement; it is a central enabler. An intelligent health system is one that learns, anticipates, and adapts.”
