Honorio Delgado Hospital faces mental health service crisis in Arequipa

The Honorio Delgado Espinoza Regional Hospital in Arequipa is facing a significant surge in demand for mental health services. As of October 6, 2026, the psychiatric emergency department has treated 1,366 patients. Additional demand includes over 3,000 consultations in outpatient psychiatry and psychology clinics, and 327 hospitalizations during the same period.

Common diagnoses reported include substance dependence—primarily alcohol and marijuana—paranoid schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, psychotic episodes, suicide attempts, and depression exacerbated by stress.

The facility is struggling with severe resource limitations. The hospital currently operates with only 32 beds, seven of which are occupied by patients under judicial mandates, further restricting capacity for urgent admissions. Staffing shortages are also evident, with 16 psychiatrists and nine psychologists managing high patient loads that can reach up to 12 patients per professional daily. Furthermore, the psychiatric service operates within a nearly 60-year-old infrastructure that staff describe as overcrowded and insufficient for the current population needs.