On International Women’s Day, Ecuador’s Ministry of Public Health (MSP), under the leadership of Vice President María José Pinto, announced new measures and investments aimed at improving women’s health and preventive care in the country.
The government has allocated significant funding for vaccination and prevention programs. The HPV vaccine program received $5.9 million to provide vaccines to girls and boys from age nine, with the goal of preventing 72% of cervical cancer cases. In addition, $7.4 million was invested in Tdap vaccines, which protect against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough, covering 624,740 pregnant women and newborns.
In 2025, 175,524 molecular screenings for human papillomavirus (HPV) were conducted, along with over 53,000 specialized breast cancer checks. These efforts are part of a broader policy that prioritizes children and focuses on prevention and primary care to ensure comprehensive health services for families.
Maternal mortality rates decreased from 95 deaths in 2023 to 86 in 2024. Prenatal care coverage reached 91.75%, benefiting 226,138 pregnant women through the “Ecuador Grows Without Malnutrition” strategy. Additionally, intercultural birthing practices have been supported; 73.8% of normal births occurred in free positions with assistance from 3,816 women recognized for their ancestral knowledge.
The MSP maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards violence. In 2025, it distributed 3,179 Purple Kits and provided comprehensive support to 15,598 women victims of violence. There were also 15,142 cases attended related to mental and behavioral disorders caused by substance use among women.
Free counseling on health promotion and psychological first aid is available through the government’s hotline (171 options 2 and 6).
Women play a leading role in driving changes within the healthcare system: they make up 67% of MSP staff (56,834 professionals), lead 68% of local Health Citizen Committees, and accounted for four million direct medical consultations by the end of 2025.
“The health of women, girls and adolescents is a priority for this Ministry,” stated officials from the MSP.
