Peru lacks specialized health professionals in nutritional support because there is no relevant or adequate training. Universities with majors in health do not include courses or specialty of clinical nutrition in the undergraduate and postgraduate curricula, despite the high demand that exists from patients, said Dr. Guillermo Contreras, Head of Critical Units of Clínica Ricardo Palma

The specialist indicated that Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico have postgraduate or specialization courses in Nutriology, where some Peruvian health professionals go to receive training by their own means. However, the gap between professionals to cover the nutrition teams in the country’s hospitals is not yet covered

“Health professionals see the need of going to other countries with their own resources to obtain this specialization, which is vital in hospitals and private hospitals in Peru. Unlike Latin America, Europe and the United States have, to a greater or lesser extent, established laws and regulations that support the adequate training of professionals who hold in their hands the lives of high-risk people,” he said

The ideal nutritional support team is made up of four different professionals: an intensive care physician or a general surgeon, a nurse, a nutritionist and a pharmaceutical chemist; all will determine the necessary nutrients to avoid hospital malnutrition in patients

The head of ICU said that having the full team of specialized professionals significantly reduces mortality rates and complications from hospital malnutrition, such as pressure ulcers or cardiac arrests, as there will be adequate and constant control of patients in intensive areas

Dr. Guillermo Contreras
Head of the ICU of Clínica Ricardo Palma