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Honduras has paid approximately L10 million (about $400,000) to private hospitals for 154 surgeries and procedures under an emergency health decree aimed at reducing public-hospital surgical backlogs, at an average cost of L63,783 per case, though lawmakers question whether prices are inflated.

Liberal Party congressman Carlos Umaña questioned whether the Asfura government negotiated lower surgical prices as required by an emergency health decree, alleging that 145 procedures totaling over L10.3 million (about $412,000) were overpriced compared to private-market rates.

Honduras's Social Security Institute reported reducing its surgical waiting list from over 6,000 to about 1,000 patients by opening operating rooms on weekends, particularly in the northern region, though officials say specialist shortages still limit capacity to meet demand.

An ASJ report found 46 operating rooms (30% of the public hospital network's 154 total) are out of service due to repairs, maintenance, or equipment shortages, worsening a surgical backlog that has grown to nearly 11,000 patients awaiting procedures.

The Health Ministry says it has performed over 4,000 surgeries in six months and spent roughly 160 million lempiras (about $6.4 million) on medicines and supplies as part of efforts to reduce surgical backlogs and improve hospital care nationwide.

Honduras's medical association is calling on the Health Ministry to publicly detail how emergency-relief funds have been spent, including breakdowns of contracts, trust funds (fideicomisos), patient-selection criteria, and progress on reducing the surgical backlog.

An analyst from the justice-advocacy group ASJ warns that Honduras's public hospitals face persistent delays in acquiring medicines and reducing surgical backlogs, citing slow budget execution and administrative bottlenecks that risk patient frustration after months of waiting.

The president of the Medical College says public hospitals are canceling operations due to shortages of sterile surgical supplies, sutures, and lab reagents—a broader crisis beyond the fentanyl shortage—while questioning the government's accounting of emergency surgeries performed in private centers.

From late March through early May 2026, Honduras paid an average of L65,000 (about $2,600) per operation to private clinics to reduce a backlog of more than 13,700 patients waiting for surgery in public hospitals, spending nearly L10 million in the first eight weeks.

President Nasry Asfura announced that medical brigades will begin Monday in Candelaria, Lempira, and expand to other rural communities, offering consultations and health services to residents who face long distances and high costs to reach hospitals in major cities.

Honduras declared a health emergency in February 2026 and launched a special program to reduce surgical waiting lists, with Hospital San Felipe reporting over 1,800 major surgeries completed in eight weeks, though medical and legislative sectors seek more detailed data on spending and nationwide impact.

Honduras's public health network carried out 1,854 elective surgeries across 29 hospitals in May, clearing 49% of the backlog of patients awaiting non-emergency procedures, the Health Ministry said.

The National Party government is proposing to use private hospital capacity to reduce a public surgery waiting list, drawing warnings from medical leaders that the measure could lead to broader health privatization.