SANSAVI News — Medical Travel to Pereira After the August Earthquake
Planning Surgery in Pereira? What Changed After the August 10 Earthquake
Seven weeks on, the Coffee Region is open to visitors and its clinics are working. But hospital capacity is still being rebuilt, and that matters if you're booking an elective procedure. Here's what to know before you go.
If you have a consultation, a dental plan or a cosmetic procedure booked in Pereira for the coming months, you've probably wondered whether the trip still makes sense. The short answer: the city is functioning, flights are back, and most care is available. The longer answer is that the region's safety net, the hospital beds that back up any surgery, is thinner than it was in July. That changes the questions you should ask.
What happened
On the morning of August 10, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, with its epicenter near the border of Chocó and Valle del Cauca. Pereira was among the cities hit hardest. Initial reports counted 40 deaths and more than 65 collapsed buildings in the metro area, and the city declared a public calamity.
Where Pereira's hospitals stand now
The region's largest public hospital, Hospital Universitario San Jorge, has reopened all of its services, but with fewer beds. Its management reported that about 21% of the building was affected and operating beds fell from 560 to 426, with occupancy close to full. Damaged sections of its fifth floor are being partially demolished.
The bigger loss is at Clínica Comfamiliar, which lost about 84% of its operating capacity. Before the quake it held 16% of the department's hospital capacity and served nearly a third of Risaralda's population. The same report notes the region already had a shortfall of 750 to 850 hospital beds before August 10.
The pressure shows up in emergency rooms. As of September 30, Hospital Santa Mónica in neighboring Dosquebradas reported ER occupancy of 250% while absorbing patients from three damaged private clinics.
Cali, also popular with medical travelers, is dealing with its own strain: Hospital Universitario del Valle lost the equivalent of 250 beds, and private hospitals have opened extra capacity to compensate.
Getting there
Matecaña International Airport reopened on August 25 after 15 days closed, with Copa Airlines resuming its Panama City route, the most common connection for US travelers. The terminal is operating from its first floor only. LATAM restarted with 21 weekly flights instead of five daily, so expect fewer options and fuller planes for now.
Five questions to ask before you confirm
SANSAVI has no relationships with clinics, so we can't tell you which ones to choose. We can tell you what to ask any of them.
Was your building inspected after August 10? Ask for written confirmation that the facility was evaluated and cleared to operate.
If something goes wrong, where would I be admitted? Elective surgery depends on a hospital that can take you if there's a complication. Ask which one, and whether it has beds available now.
Is everything still registered? Damaged clinics may have changed which services they're licensed to offer. Check the facility and its services in REPS, Colombia's public registry, as explained in our [surgeon and clinic verification guide].
What's the plan if my dates move? Ask about rescheduling policies and build extra days into your trip; reduced flights make tight connections riskier.
Does my insurance cover disruption? Check whether your travel or complications policy covers natural-disaster cancellations and medical evacuation.
The bottom line
Pereira is open, and demand for care in Colombia keeps growing: the country received 21,034 international medical visitors between January and August 2026, up 17.6% from a year earlier. But this is a season to ask more questions, not fewer. If your procedure is elective and a clinic can't answer clearly, waiting a few weeks costs little, and the region's hospitals will have that much more room when you arrive.
SANSAVI does not sell reader data. This article is informational and is not medical advice.
Comments