Seven children from the Arequipa region with life-threatening congenital heart diseases underwent successful surgeries performed by medical specialists from the Ministry of Health, according to an April 25 announcement.
The operations were carried out during the ‘Campaña Cardioquirúrgica Extramuros’, a campaign led by the Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño San Borja (INSNSB) of the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with Hospital Regional Honorio Delgado de Arequipa.
“With this campaign, the institute reaffirms its commitment to be a hospital that does not wait for patients but goes out to find them. Each child operated on is a family that smiles again,” said Zulema Tomas Gonzales, general director of INSNSB at the Ministry of Health. She was accompanied by Carlos Medina, general director of Hospital III Regional Honorio Delgado. Tomas Gonzales explained that this initiative is part of ‘Estrategia Nacional Operación Vida’, which aims to reduce gaps in specialized pediatric surgical care across Peru.
During her visit to Arequipa as head of the delegation, Tomas Gonzales reported seeing young patients and confirming their ongoing recovery. She also highlighted cooperation between the Ministry of Health, regional governments, and INSN San Borja as important for decentralizing specialized health services and reaching remote areas.
Tomas Gonzales announced plans are underway with local hospital officials for another campaign in the third quarter of this year. Together with Eneida Melgar Humala—coordinator for Extramural Campaigns at INSN San Borja and head of Specialized Comprehensive Care Sub-Unit for Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery—she thanked participating doctors and especially colleagues at Hospital Honorio Delgado “who show interest and goodwill in helping cardiac patients who need timely medical attention.”
For 2026, INSNSB has scheduled more than 20 medical campaigns across regions including Lambayeque, Amazonas, Huancavelica, Cajamarca, Loreto, Junín, Ucayali and Cusco.
