Daily coverage from across the country, written for the expat community
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La Hora reports complaints from users who say they could not access surgery at the Ambato IESS Hospital, while the institution says it has two operating rooms active 24 hours a day and performed 438 procedures since April 2026.
Ecuador offers expats affordable healthcare through both the public IESS system (~$85/month) and private providers. GP visits run $25-40, specialist visits $40-80, and an MRI costs $200-400. Here is a complete guide to navigating healthcare as a foreign resident.
Ecuador's public healthcare system is struggling with corruption investigations, specialist wait times stretching months, and chronic medication shortages. Many expats are supplementing with private insurance or paying out-of-pocket. Here's the current state of play.
The Ministry of Public Health invested in 92 laparoscopic towers for hospitals across the country, bringing minimally invasive surgery to previously underserved areas including the border town of Macará near Vilcabamba.
Ecuador has jumped to third place in the WHO's Latin America Healthcare Index, trailing only Costa Rica and Chile -- a strong validation for expats who cite affordable medical care as a top reason for relocating.
