{"id":186815,"date":"2026-04-13T00:28:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T06:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/sin-categoria\/little-hospitals-the-regimes-strategy-to-inflate-nicaraguas-hospital-network\/"},"modified":"2026-04-13T02:52:37","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T08:52:37","slug":"little-hospitals-the-regimes-strategy-to-inflate-nicaraguas-hospital-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/nation\/little-hospitals-the-regimes-strategy-to-inflate-nicaraguas-hospital-network\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cLittle Hospitals\u201d: The Regime’s Strategy to Inflate Nicaragua\u2019s Hospital Network"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It is false that Nicaragua has the largest and most robust hospital network in Central America, as claimed by the Ministry of Health (Minsa) and repeatedly celebrated by Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo whenever they can. <\/p>\n\n

The number of hospitals \u2014<\/strong> as counted by the co-dictators \u2014<\/strong> appears to have grown since Ortega returned to power in 2007. However, this is not due to the construction of new high-level hospitals, but rather to exaggerated propaganda involving the replacement of hospitals that had already reached the end of their useful life.<\/p>\n\n

Another tactic is that the dictatorship counts primary hospitals as \u201cnew high-level hospitals.\u201d These are small, limited medical units that have a couple more specialties than conventional health centers, but they are not full hospitals. In fact, that\u2019s why they are popularly known as \u201clittle hospitals.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

\"Primary
Three \u201cLittle Hospitals\u201d In Nicaragua: Dorotea Virginia Primary Hospital in Granada (top); Tepeyac Primary Hospital, also in Granada (bottom left); and Ni\u00f1os M\u00e1rtires de Ayapal Primary Hospital in San Jos\u00e9 de Bocay, Jinotega (bottom right). \/\/ Photos: Social media and MINSA. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

This Is How The Ministry Of Health Inflates The Number Of Hospitals<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

In January 2026, Health Minister Meyling Brenes stated that Nicaragua\u2019s hospital network grew from 33 to 79 hospitals between 2007 and 2025<\/a>. However, the figure promoted by the Ministry of Health (Minsa) is misleading, as it counts \u2014 as if they were entirely new \u2014 nearly thirty primary hospitals that already existed in 2007. <\/p>\n\n

In healthcare systems, there are three levels of hospitals that provide services with varying degrees of complexity, capacity, and specialization:<\/p>\n\n