The Ministry of Health of Peru announced on March 19 that it successfully carried out an emergency air medical transfer for two critically ill pediatric patients from the Hospital de Apoyo Bagua in the Amazonas region to specialized hospitals in Lima. The operation was coordinated by the Comprehensive Health Insurance (SIS) and the Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU), with support from the Peruvian Air Force and SIS funding.
This initiative is significant as it highlights efforts to provide timely, specialized care to patients in remote areas who require advanced medical attention not available locally. Such transfers are crucial for improving health outcomes among vulnerable populations, especially children.
According to the ministry, the first patient was an eight-day-old newborn with conditions related to extreme prematurity requiring immediate neonatal intensive care. She was admitted to Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza for further treatment. The second patient, a six-month-old infant diagnosed with severe dengue complicated by respiratory failure and pleural effusion, was transferred to Hospital Nacional Dos de Mayo, a referral center for critical pediatric cases.
Both children arrived at their respective hospitals in stable condition following what officials described as a coordinated and timely intervention. Since an inter-institutional agreement between the Ministry of Health, SAMU, SIS, and the Peruvian Air Force was signed in 2018, more than 1,290 air medical evacuations have been conducted in remote regions across Peru. Fourteen such transfers have already taken place so far this year.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to quality pre-hospital care and rapid response during emergencies that threaten lives, particularly those of vulnerable groups such as newborns and children.
