One of the highest-ranking officials of the Ministry of Health, responsible for managing the purchase and supply of medicines for the country’s hospitals, has a debt exceeding S/1.3 million and faces serious questions over decisions made during his tenure.
This is Javier Iván Henostroza Cáceres, current director of the National Center for the Supply of Strategic Health Resources (CENARES). According to official information, from June 2025 to January 2026, the trusted official has accumulated a total debt of S/ 1,304,979.56 soles spread across at least three banks, entities that have been charging him for more than four years.
According to SBS records, the debt was S/571,978.30 in June 2025 and increased to S/583,471.92 in September. However, in October there was a sharp increase, reaching S/1,304,979.56, more than double the amount recorded the previous month. In December it slightly decreased to S/1,265,289.54, but in January 2026 it rose again to S/1,304,979.56, the figure corresponding to the latest available record.
The SBS has classified Javier Iván Henostroza Cáceres as “Loss,” the most critical category, also detailing that at the time of this report, he has 1,605 days overdue on debt payments (that is, more than 4 years), as well as having a 100% risk level.
Although a bank debt does not prevent holding a public office, as it does not disqualify any candidate, the fact is surprising given that this official is in charge of an entity that manages the purchase of medicines and supplies for the entire country: Henostroza is responsible for highly important functions for the national health system, such as approving purchase processes for strategic resources for the sector, storing products under strict quality control standards, dispatching and delivering medical supplies to hospitals, health centers, and more than 200 executors both in Lima and in the regions. These supplies include medicines, vaccines, as well as medical devices.
Other questions during his time at Cenares
Amid the appointment of Javier Iván Henostroza Cáceres as general director of CENARES, the institution carries a series of questions about its management. A recent report by El Comercio revealed in August that more than seven million expired syringes remained in its warehouses, as well as expired medicines intended for cancer treatments, HIV, and other priority diseases. The transfer team also detected that at least eight officials from key areas had renewed their CAS contracts until the end of this year.
Javier Iván Henostroza Cáceres was also questioned over a controversial purchase of sodium chloride from a company for S/31.2 million, plus an additional provision of S/7.66 million. The purchase was questioned after various health centers reported observations about the product’s quality. Digemid formally communicated these alerts to the Ministry of Health on July 22, 2026, although CENARES had been aware of the questions since June 15.
In detail
It all began when various health centers reported observations about the quality of this product. On July 22, 2026, the General Directorate of Medicines, Supplies, and Drugs (Digemid), through its general director, Dr. Lida Esther Hildebrandt Pinedo, informed the then Deputy Minister of Public Health, Henry Rebaza Iparraguirre, about this situation, also noting that Cenares had known about these questions since June 15 through Information Note No. D000504-2026-CENARES-DAD-MINSA.
However, on July 1, CENARES approved an additional provision of S/7.66 million through Resolution No. 161-2026-OA-CENARES-MINSA. Three weeks later, on July 24, the company requested to change the product manufacturer.
According to journalistic reports on the case, the Legal Advisory Office of CENARES recommended, through Report No. D000693-2026-CENARES-OAL-MINSA, that Henostroza not settle with the company in the arbitration process. The entity also reportedly rejected settling with a second company even though the agreement would have allowed the State to save S/1.7 million.
This media outlet tried to contact both the Minister of Health, Luis Dyer, his advisors, the press office of the Ministry of Health, and Javier Iván Henostroza Cáceres himself to obtain their statements on the matter, but we received no response.
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