Juan Carlos Aveiga Becomes Ecuador’s New Health Minister

Ecuador has a new Minister of Public Health.

President Daniel Noboa appointed Juan Carlos Aveiga Parra on Friday, July 10, 2026, replacing Jaime Otton Bernabé Erazo under Executive Decree 446.

What Changed

Bernabé leaves the role a little more than two months after taking over the ministry. He was appointed on April 27, 2026 under Executive Decree 369, which was repealed by the new decree.

Aveiga Parra is a surgeon and laparoscopist and previously served as technical medical director at Hospital Alcívar in Guayaquil.

Why The Ministry Matters

The change comes while public-sector medicine shortages remain one of the major pending issues for the ministry.

During Daniel Noboa's presidency, including the extraordinary period from November 2023 to May 2025, the government has had seven health ministers. Aveiga is the eighth person to arrive at the ministry.

What This Means For Expats

Foreign residents who use IESS, MSP hospitals, private insurance referrals or public-sector emergency services should watch whether the new minister changes medicine procurement, hospital supply priorities or public-health administration. The appointment itself does not change patient procedures today, but the ministry affects the system everyone eventually touches.