Emergencies in Lima

Good to Know

• Emergency operators almost always speak only Spanish, so having a translation app or asking your hotel/host to call on your behalf is a practical backup.
• 911 works in Lima and routes to police, but the underlying unified 911 dispatch system is still being built out, so it's smart to also know the classic numbers: 105 (police), 106 (ambulance/SAMU), 116 (fire).
• SAMU (106) is free and is the go-to number for genuine medical emergencies; for non-critical health questions, Infosalud (113) is a free 24/7 info line.
• The Lima Segura panic-button app requires a Documento Nacional de Identidad (DNI) to register, which can make it hard for short-term foreign visitors to use — it's more relevant for longer-term residents.
• If you're a crime victim, the Tourist Police (POLTUR) in Lima can be more helpful than a generic police station and sometimes has English-speaking staff.
• Peru has no official US-style Level I–IV trauma-center certification, so 'best hospital for trauma' in Lima is a reputation-based judgment, not a government rating.
• Private clinics in Lima typically require an upfront cash deposit or insurance guarantee letter before treating you, even in a genuine emergency — bring a card or cash and your insurance details.
• The public ambulance system is unreliable; many trauma patients in Lima actually arrive by taxi or private car rather than ambulance, so knowing the fastest route to one of these clinics yourself is worth doing in advance.
• San Isidro (Anglo Americana, Ricardo Palma, El Golf) is the strongest cluster of serious-emergency-capable private hospitals near the main nomad neighborhoods; Miraflores and Jesús María have solid but somewhat smaller options.
• For a major trauma, stroke, or complex injury, transfer to Lima is the standard advice even for people already in other Peruvian cities — Lima concentrates the country's advanced trauma and surgical equipment.