Articles

Medicine shortages, payment failures, and overwhelmed hospitals plague Ecuador's public system. But for expats in Cuenca, private healthcare remains remarkably affordable — if you know how to navigate your options.

After the devastating 2024 blackouts that hit Cuenca with up to 14 hours without power daily, the government unveiled its 2025–2030 energy expansion plan. The headline number: 1,471 megawatts of new capacity from solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal. The real question: will it get built?

Cuenca's first rural municipal hospital opens February 1 in El Valle parish. The $8.2 million facility brings 31 medical specialties, two operating rooms, and round-the-clock emergency services to the southern parishes.

Cuenca's largest public hospital is operating at 62% of needed medications and 61% of medical supplies. The Ministry of Health has delivered emergency shipments, but challenges persist.