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The Santa Elena Peninsula has a functional range of medical facilities — a large public hospital in La Libertad, three established private hospitals, IESS facilities for affiliates, and a network of public health centres (subcentros) across the smaller towns. For serious emergencies, La Libertad's public hospital and the private Hospital Granados in Salinas are the primary destinations. For specialist care beyond what the peninsula can offer, Guayaquil is approximately 2 hours away.
ℹ️ Important for visitors: Private hospitals require payment or a deposit upfront before treating non-emergency cases. Bring your travel insurance documents and a payment method. IESS facilities are for IESS affiliates only. Public hospitals (Ministerio de Salud) treat everyone including foreigners.
La Libertad · Ministerio de Salud Pública · Main public facility
Hospital Dr. Rafael Serrano López
★ Principal referral hospital
The main public hospital on the peninsula and the primary referral centre for the entire province of Santa Elena. Operates 24 hours including A&E. Administered by the Ministerio de Salud Pública — open to everyone including foreigners at no charge for emergency care. Specialities include internal medicine, general surgery, gynaecology and obstetrics, paediatrics, traumatology, and radiology. The hospital receives emergency transfers from all across the province.
Note: As Ecuador's main public hospital system, Rafael Serrano López can face high patient volumes, particularly on weekends and holidays. Non-life-threatening cases may face waits. For urgent but stable conditions, the private hospitals below may provide faster attention.
24 hours · A&E
La Libertad · Vía Punta Carnero
Free for emergencies
📞 (04) 277-5844
Salinas · Military · Open to civilians
Hospital Básico ESMA (Escuela Superior Militar de Aviación)
A military hospital (Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana) based in Salinas that accepts civilian patients. Offers basic hospital services including emergency care and consultation. A useful option for visitors in Salinas who need urgent attention without travelling to La Libertad. Confirm current civilian access and hours on arrival — military hospital policies can vary.
Salinas
Confirm civilian access before attending
Private hospitals on the peninsula generally offer faster service and a more comfortable patient environment than the public system. All require payment or a deposit upfront for non-emergency consultations. Travel insurance is strongly recommended — confirm your insurer's direct billing arrangements before travelling.
Salinas · Private · 30+ years · Recommended
Hospital Granados
★ Best private option in Salinas
The leading private hospital in Salinas and the recommended first call for visitors needing urgent private care on the peninsula. Has operated for over 30 years and has grown significantly in specialities and technology. Offers 24-hour emergency care with an equipped ambulance fleet and an ICU. Services include general surgery, internal medicine, gynaecology and obstetrics, neonatology, paediatrics, traumatology, ENT (otorrinolaringología), plastic and reconstructive surgery, haemodialysis (over 20 years of renal care), and the province's only hyperbaric oxygen chamber. Imaging includes X-ray, ultrasound, and full laboratory. Physiotherapy and rehabilitation also available.
Unique services: Only hyperbaric oxygen centre in Santa Elena Province. Long-established haemodialysis unit. Neonatal ICU with incubators and ventilators.
24 hours · A&E · ICU
Cdla. Santa Paula, Salinas
Calle 5ta E / Av. 14 y 18
🌐 hospitalgranados.med.ec
La Libertad / Salinas border · Private · Radiology
Clínica Metropolitana
A private clinic located on Calle 8 / Avenida 14, Vía a Punta Carnero — on the La Libertad side of the Salinas–La Libertad road, near the Hospital de La Libertad. Offers private consultation and is noted for its radiology and imaging services (X-ray). A practical option for diagnostics and specialist consultations for visitors staying in either Salinas or La Libertad.
Calle 8 Av. 14, Vía Punta Carnero
La Libertad
Radiology · X-ray
🌐 clinicametropolitana.com.ec
La Libertad · Private · 24 hours
Clínica Santa Martha (CLISAMARSA)
A 24-hour private clinic in La Libertad offering emergency attention and medical consultation. Located on Calle 18, La Libertad. A useful option for visitors based in La Libertad or travelling through who need urgent private care.
24 hours
Calle 18, La Libertad
📞 (04) 278-2243
IESS — Social Security Health
IESS (Instituto Ecuatoriano de Seguridad Social) facilities are available to IESS affiliates only — Ecuadorian workers enrolled in the social security system, their dependants, and pensioners. Visitors and non-affiliates cannot access IESS services. If you are an Ecuadorian affiliate, the peninsula's IESS facilities include:
Affiliates only
Hospital
Centro Clínico Quirúrgico Ambulatorio IESS — La Libertad. Regional IESS clinic offering outpatient specialist consultations including ophthalmology, dentistry, ENT, internal medicine, gynaecology, paediatrics, traumatology, and dermatology. Emergency service 24 hours. Administrative hours for scheduled appointments.
Subcentros
IESS ambulatory care units (CAA/UAA) operate across the peninsula for routine and follow-up appointments, generally 08:00–18:00. Locations include Salinas, La Libertad, and Santa Elena. Appointments via the IESS online portal (iess.gob.ec) or the app.
Public Health Centres (Subcentros)
The Ministerio de Salud Pública operates a network of public health centres (subcentros / centros de salud) across the peninsula for primary care, vaccinations, maternal health, and basic consultations. These are free and open to all. They are not equipped for emergencies — go directly to Hospital de La Libertad for anything urgent.
| Centre
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Location
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Notes
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| Subcentro de Salud José Luis Tamayo
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Salinas
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Primary care, general medicine
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| Centro de Salud Enríquez Gallo
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Salinas
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Primary care
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| Centro de Salud La Libertad
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La Libertad
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Primary care, maternal health
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| Centro Materno Infantil Venus de Valdivia
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Valdivia
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Maternal and child health specialist centre
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| Centro de Salud San Antonio
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Manglaralto
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Primary care, northern peninsula
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| Centro de Salud Valdivia
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Valdivia
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Primary care
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| Policlínico Naval
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Salinas malecón
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Military polyclinic; civilian access Mon–Fri 08:00–16:30
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Subcentro locations and hours are community-contributed and may change. Confirm locally.
Specialist Services on the Peninsula
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🫁 Hyperbaric Oxygen
Hospital Granados is the only hyperbaric oxygen centre in Santa Elena Province. Used for decompression sickness (important for divers), wound healing, and certain infections.
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🩸 Haemodialysis
Hospital Granados has operated a haemodialysis (dialysis) unit for over 20 years for both inpatient and outpatient renal patients.
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👁 Ophthalmology
Available at the IESS La Libertad centre (affiliates) and listed at the Fundación Oftalmológica José Martín. Confirm current status locally for private ophthalmology.
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🎗 Oncology — SOLCA
SOLCA Unidad Oncológica Península de Santa Elena provides cancer diagnosis and treatment services for the province. Confirm current hours and services directly with SOLCA.
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🦷 Dentistry
Servident (Calle 17, Mon–Fri 09:00–18:00) is a noted private dental practice. IESS La Libertad also offers dental services to affiliates. Multiple private dental consultories operate across Salinas.
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👂 ENT
Dr Antonio Matamoros Instituto de Otorrinolaringología offers specialist ENT services on the peninsula. Hospital Granados and IESS La Libertad also list ENT among their services.
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For complex surgery, advanced oncology, tertiary cardiac care, and specialist procedures not available on the peninsula, Guayaquil is approximately 2 hours away via the E-40. The main private hospitals in Guayaquil used by peninsula residents for referral care include:
- Hospital Clínica Kennedy — one of Ecuador's largest private hospital groups, multiple locations in Guayaquil
- Hospital Alcívar — major private referral hospital, central Guayaquil
- Hospital Luis Vernaza — large public/charitable hospital for complex cases
- Los Ceibos (IESS Guayaquil) — IESS tertiary referral hospital for affiliates
If you are being transported to Guayaquil in a medical emergency, Hospital Granados operates ambulance transfers under biosecurity protocols. Confirm availability and cost when calling.
- Travel insurance is not optional. Private hospital costs can be significant without coverage. Ensure your policy covers emergency evacuation to Guayaquil if required. Carry your policy documents at all times.
- Language. All medical staff work in Spanish. English-speaking doctors exist but are not guaranteed at any facility. In an emergency, the word emergencia and the address are sufficient — call 911.
- Payment upfront. Private clinics require a deposit or payment before treating non-emergencies. Have a card or cash available.
- Bring your documents. Passport (for foreign visitors), travel insurance card, and any existing prescription medications in original packaging with documentation.
- Medications. Pharmacies (farmacias) are plentiful across Salinas and La Libertad — see Pharmacies. Many medications available by prescription in other countries can be obtained over the counter in Ecuador.
- Diving injuries. If you are experiencing symptoms of decompression sickness after diving, Hospital Granados has the only hyperbaric chamber in the province — go there directly and call ahead.
- High season pressure. The public hospital in La Libertad faces higher patient volumes during high season (Jan–May). For non-critical conditions, the private options are faster.
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🚨 Emergency Contacts
Emergency (all services)
911
Hospital de La Libertad
(04) 277-5844
Hospital Granados (Salinas)
hospitalgranados.med.ec
Clínica Santa Martha (La Libertad)
(04) 278-2243
Clínica Metropolitana
clinicametropolitana.com.ec
Which Facility?
🚨
Life-threatening emergency
Call 911. Go directly to Hospital de La Libertad A&E or Hospital Granados (Salinas).
🏥
Urgent but stable — in Salinas
Hospital Granados (24 h, private) or Hospital Básico ESMA (confirm civilian access).
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Urgent but stable — in La Libertad
Hospital de La Libertad (public, free) or Clínica Santa Martha (private, 24 h).
👨⚕️
Non-urgent consultation
Any private clinic. Subcentros for primary care (free, no emergency).
🤿
Decompression sickness (diving)
Hospital Granados — only hyperbaric chamber in the province.
🩺
IESS affiliate
Centro Clínico Quirúrgico Ambulatorio IESS, La Libertad. Appointments via iess.gob.ec.
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Needs Guayaquil-level care
Hospital Granados arranges ambulance transfers. Kennedy, Alcívar, or Vernaza in Guayaquil (~2 hrs).
🛡 Travel Insurance
Ecuador's private hospitals require payment or a deposit before treating non-emergency cases. Without travel insurance, costs can be significant.
Check your policy covers: Emergency hospitalisation · Medical evacuation to Guayaquil · Repatriation · Diving incidents if applicable.
Carry your insurance company's emergency phone number and your policy number separately from your phone. In a medical emergency, you or a companion may need to provide these to the hospital before treatment begins.
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