The President Nayib Bukele unveiled the cutting-edge Emergency Medical System (SEM) yesterday, marking a significant milestone in Central American healthcare. Located in the hospital zone of San Salvador, the newly inaugurated SEM integrates land, air, and maritime emergency services, featuring a nationwide coverage call center. President Bukele emphasized his commitment to public services surpassing private alternatives.
Accompanied by Health Minister Francisco Alabi, President Bukele toured the facilities of the state-of-the-art EMS base. The facility includes its own helipad for fully equipped airborne ambulances, capable of nationwide coverage and rapid response.
The three-level modern operational base houses a fleet of over 140 ambulances, each equipped with essential medical apparatus such as stretchers, defibrillators, vital signs monitors, immobilization boards, splints, oxygen equipment, and transport ventilators. The administrative areas are situated on the second level, while the third level houses the emergency call center. Coordinated through the monitoring center, emergency calls received at the 132 hotline will trigger the dispatch of ambulances, ensuring swift medical assistance.
Health Minister Alabi highlighted the monumental improvement from the previous emergency system, which had only nine ambulances. The upgraded SEM now incorporates aerial (helicopters) and maritime (boats) ambulances to provide rapid assistance to the entire Salvadoran population.
President Bukele expressed his satisfaction with the advancements in the healthcare system, drawing parallels with the country’s achievements in security. «It is important that people perceive more benefits in terms of attention, equipment, and speed,» he remarked. The 24/7 call center is staffed with 286 operators, ensuring prompt responses to multiple emergencies simultaneously.
Minister Alabi underscored the in-house operation of the call center, emphasizing that the 132 hotline is not outsourced but operated by the Ministry of Health. Ambulance services can be monitored through a centralized system receiving images from onboard cameras, and the georeferencing system allows constant tracking of their movement and location.
Gustavo Villatoro, Minister of Security, explained the integration of a police system to organize ambulance services efficiently. «We are leveraging technology to provide assistance, categorizing emergencies according to their nature, including cooperation with civil protection and other institutions,» he noted.
Regarding the three airborne ambulances, Minister Alabi detailed their neonatal capabilities, including incubators, mechanical ventilators, and monitors. Airborne transfers can be initiated from any part of the country, making El Salvador one of the few countries in the region with such a comprehensive emergency medical system, following in the footsteps of Mexico.