El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly of El Salvador has approved a $75 million loan from Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) to expand the country’s telemedicine program, DoctorSV, and deploy 400 automated medicine dispensing kiosks nationwide. Lawmakers say the initiative will strengthen digital healthcare access for an estimated 4.5 million Salvadorans and significantly increase the system’s capacity for remote consultations.
The expansion is designed to allow up to 30,000 virtual medical consultations per day while modernizing health service delivery and training personnel in digital systems. Supporters argue the program will help reduce overcrowding in public clinics and hospitals, particularly benefiting rural and underserved communities where access to specialists and prescription medicines can be limited.
Dania González, a legislator from Nuevas Ideas, described the project as a transformative step for public healthcare. “It is a major step in showing how technology can improve public services,” she said, emphasizing that medical facilities across the country are expected to see reduced congestion as telemedicine services expand.
Not all lawmakers were convinced. Claudia Ortiz of Vamos voted against the loan, questioning transparency and oversight in the management of contracts and outsourced services. “We are not attacking progress; we are asking questions. What guarantees are there?” she said, arguing that clearer accountability mechanisms are needed before approving additional borrowing.
Meanwhile, Francisco Lira of ARENA proposed reallocating $20 million of the funds directly to the Ministry of Health to address supply shortages, but the motion failed to gain support. The newly approved financing follows a previous $77 million CAF loan granted in 2023 to launch DoctorSV, with both loans set to be repaid over 18 years, underscoring El Salvador’s continued investment in digital transformation within its public healthcare system.