El Salvador’s 2026 General State Budget reveals a strong investment in telemedicine, with US$106.8 million allocated to the project, second only to funding for the National Hospital Network, which stands at US$177 million. The allocation significantly exceeds the budgets assigned to key hospitals such as Bloom (US$63.5 million) and HNES (US$57.6 million), as well as funding for primary health care services across all regions of the country.
The telemedicine project, which includes the DoctorSV app, has drawn controversy amid criticism that it could be used to replace dismissed healthcare workers. More than 7,700 layoffs in the health sector were reported last year. Part of the funding comes from a budget cut to the Supreme Court of Justice.