The family of a 76-year-old British-Peruvian woman are speaking out in horror after she was left for nearly 40 agonising hours on a cold hospital floor in Peru without a bed, food, or water.
Maria Hermilia Murrieta's ordeal began when she was admitted to Sergio E. Bernales National Hospital in Lima, a facility already notorious for its overwhelmed and underfunded wards. Instead of receiving a bed, the elderly woman, who suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure, was simply laid on the floor, where she remained for a day and a half.
A Daughter's Desperate Plea
Her daughter, Nelly Paredes, who lives in the UK, was sent devastating photographs and videos of her mother's plight. She immediately launched a frantic campaign on social media, pleading with the hospital and local officials for help.
"They didn't give her a bed, they didn't give her food, they didn't give her water," Nelly told reporters, her voice thick with emotion. "My mother was just abandoned. It's inhumane."
Systemic Failure Exposed
The incident has ignited a firestorm of criticism in Peru, shining a harsh light on the country's crumbling public healthcare system. The hospital, which serves a large and impoverished population, is chronically short of beds and essential supplies.
Following the social media outcry, hospital management was forced to respond. They issued a statement acknowledging a "deficiency in the care process" and promised an internal investigation. Maria was eventually given a bed, but the trauma of the experience remains.
International Ramifications
The case has also raised serious questions for British citizens travelling or living abroad. With an ageing diaspora, the UK Foreign Office may face increased pressure to provide clearer guidance and support for nationals navigating foreign health systems, especially in developing nations.
For Maria's family, the fight is not over. They are demanding accountability and assurances that no other patient, Peruvian or foreign, will ever have to endure such degrading and dangerous neglect again.
