Ecuador Equips 70 Public Hospitals With Laparoscopic Surgery — Including Macará in Loja Province

If you live in southern Ecuador, getting access to modern surgical care just got significantly easier.

The Investment

Ecuador's Ministry of Public Health (MSP) has equipped 70 public hospitals across the country with 92 modern laparoscopic towers, bringing minimally invasive surgical capability to communities that previously had to travel hours for procedures that are routine in larger cities.

The initiative represents a landmark investment in Ecuador's public healthcare infrastructure. Health Minister Antonio Naranjo declared: "This dotación is a milestone for public health in Ecuador. It improves access to less invasive surgeries and reduces recovery times."

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) recognized Ecuador's leadership in the region. International advisor Javier Uribe noted that Ecuador is the first country to include medical equipment in the organization's Strategic Fund, which guarantees international licensing, quality standards, and clinical safety.

Which Hospitals Received Equipment

Among the 70 hospitals benefiting are basic-level facilities that never previously had laparoscopic capability, including:

• Hospital Básico de Macará (Loja province — near the Peru border)
• Hospital Básico de Muisne (Esmeraldas)
• Hospital Básico de El Ángel (Carchi)
• Hospital Básico de San Gabriel (Carchi)
• Hospital Básico de Baños (Tungurahua)
• Hospital Básico de Guamote (Chimborazo)
• Hospital Básico de Salcedo (Cotopaxi)
• Hospital Básico de Méndez (Morona Santiago)
• Hospital Básico de Limón Indanza (Morona Santiago)
• Hospital Básico de Cariamanga (Loja)

Why Laparoscopic Surgery Matters

Laparoscopic ("keyhole") surgery uses small incisions of less than 1 centimeter and a camera-equipped instrument to perform operations that traditionally required large open incisions. Benefits include:

• Shorter hospital stays (1–3 days vs. 5–7 for open surgery)
• Faster recovery (weeks instead of months)
• Less pain and scarring
• Lower infection risk

Common procedures performed laparoscopically include gallbladder removal, appendectomy, hernia repair, and exploratory abdominal surgery.

The Macará Story

The Hospital Básico de Macará serves Ecuador's southwestern border region in Loja province — the gateway to Peru via the Huaquillas corridor. The 20-bed facility serves not only the canton of Macará but also patients referred from northern Peru.

For years, residents and local officials have campaigned to restore the hospital's former "Binacional" (Binational) status, which it held from 2005 to 2012 before being downgraded to basic level under the Correa administration. The addition of laparoscopic capability is a meaningful step toward expanding the hospital's surgical capacity.

Previously, patients needing laparoscopic procedures in southern Loja had to travel to the city of Loja (approximately 3 hours by road) or even to Cuenca (5+ hours). The new equipment eliminates that burden for many common procedures.

Cost Savings

The MSP estimates the initiative will eliminate $3.2 to $8.2 million in annual costs previously spent outsourcing laparoscopic surgeries to private providers. Patients in the public system (including IESS — Instituto Ecuatoriano de Seguridad Social — Ecuador's social security system) will now have access to these procedures at no out-of-pocket cost.

What This Means for Expats

• Vilcabamba and southern Loja expats benefit directly. If you live in the Vilcabamba area and need a laparoscopic procedure, Macará or Cariamanga may now be closer options than driving to Loja city
• IESS members get access. Expats enrolled in Ecuador's social security system (monthly premiums around $79/individual) can access these services at public hospitals at no additional charge
• The broader trend is positive. Ecuador is investing in healthcare infrastructure nationwide. The 70-hospital rollout means that even in smaller towns, the quality of surgical care is improving
• Private options still exist. Hospital Clínica San Agustín in Loja city offers advanced laparoscopic surgery including 4K-guided procedures. For complex cases, Cuenca and Quito remain the best options

Sources: Ecuador 221, Ministerio de Salud Pública, OPS/OMS