Peruvian Construction Workers to Protest for Health System Improvements

Construction workers across Peru are set to mobilize on July 2, demanding urgent improvements to the national health insurance system, EsSalud. The Federation of Construction Workers of Peru (FTCCP) announced a nationwide protest to address critical issues including lengthy medical appointment delays, insufficient medication, and the lack of regulation for a law intended to expand health coverage for sector employees.

The planned demonstration will begin at 2 p.m. with a gathering at Campo de Marte in Jesús María district, Lima. From there, participants will march to the central EsSalud headquarters to present their grievances. The union asserts that thousands of insured individuals are struggling to access timely medical care and specialized treatments, exacerbated by shortages of essential medicines and malfunctioning medical equipment like CT scanners and MRI machines.

Luis Villanueva Carbajal, the FTCCP's general secretary, attributed EsSalud's current state to administrative instability and political appointments. He criticized the practice of appointing EsSalud's president directly by the executive branch and fragmenting contracts to bypass oversight. "The Executive appoints the president of EsSalud by hand, contracts are fragmented to avoid the oversight of the Board of Directors, there is a shortage of medicines and equipment without maintenance, such as CT scanners, ultrasound machines, or MRI scanners, among others," he stated.

The FTCCP is advocating for the EsSalud Executive Presidency to be elected by its Board of Directors, which includes representatives from workers, employers, and the state, rather than being solely dependent on government designation. Additionally, the workers are demanding the immediate publication of the regulations for Law 32503. This law grants EsSalud access to construction workers with just two months of contributions and extends coverage for up to 12 months after employment cessation. The union argues that the absence of these regulations prevents the law's implementation, leaving numerous workers and their families without adequate healthcare coverage.

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The Executive appoints the president of EsSalud by hand, contracts are fragmented to avoid the oversight of the Board of Directors, there is a shortage of medicines and equipment without maintenance, such as CT scanners, ultrasound machines, or MRI scanners, among others.