Peru father decries lack of hospital beds delaying daughter's leukemia transplant

An 11-year-old girl with leukemia is in a critical race against time for a bone marrow transplant, but her treatment is stalled due to a severe shortage of operational beds at Peru's health system, EsSalud. Her father, Hugo Huayanay, has publicly denounced the situation, revealing that despite his daughter completing all necessary chemotherapy and having a compatible donor, the crucial transplant procedure cannot proceed.

Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati informed the family that only four of the ten beds designated for pediatric bone marrow transplants nationwide are currently functional. The remaining six beds are reportedly out of service, leaving the family waiting for over two weeks. This delay carries a significant risk, as doctors have warned that the child's disease has reached remission, a critical window that favors the transplant's success. Prolonged waiting increases the likelihood of a relapse.

Huayanay shared his distress in an interview, explaining that during a pre-admission evaluation on July 30 at the Rebagliati Hospital, he confirmed his daughter's eligibility for the transplant. However, he was simultaneously informed about the beds' unavailability. Medical staff indicated that the possibility of expediting his daughter's admission hinges on the repair of the six inoperative beds. Otherwise, the wait could extend to approximately 40 days, the estimated time for one of the currently occupied beds to become free.

Doctors at the Hospital Guillermo Almenara had previously explained that the child had successfully completed her chemotherapy treatments. They noted that she experienced adverse reactions to two of these procedures, making the timely bone marrow transplant even more vital. The family has been given a follow-up appointment for September 4, but without a confirmed date for the life-saving transplant, anxiety and uncertainty continue to mount.

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The doctor told me my daughter was fit for admission, however, he revealed that out of the 10 beds they have available for bone marrow transplants for children, only 4 were operational and 6 were broken. This has been the situation since June 29. They indicated that my daughter's admission will depend heavily on the habilitation of those six beds because the ones that are functioning are occupied.