In this informative video, learn how HospiScope delivers accurate, verified data on more than 18,000 hospitals in key markets including Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Chile.

Learn how your sales team can:

•  Identify and prioritize high-potential prospects
•  Access detailed equipment data, including MRI and CT scanners
• Generate and export customized reports
•  Build smarter, data-driven sales strategies

Ready to fuel your growth with real data from trusted sources? Watch the video now and see HospiScope in action.

Next Steps

Get in touch with us to schedule a demo of HospiScope. We’ll walk you through how it can quickly connect you with the best prospects across Latin America. Let’s boost your sales so you can start closing deals faster.

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As the world has steadily warmed in recent years, the impacts on the environment, weather and other aspects of daily life have been global in scale. Both 2023 and 2024 respectively have been the hottest years in recorded history, and the Earth is about 1.2 degrees Celsius warmer now than it was from 1850-1890.

The rise in temperature has coincided with an increase in severe weather events, including heatwaves, wildfires, floods, hurricanes and more. This has also been accompanied by glacial ice melt and rising sea levels.

The Impact on Health

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), global climate change also has a major impact on public health, the consequences of which are already being seen in some areas, including Latin America. As temperatures rise and extreme weather events become more frequent, it puts people at risk by compromising clean air, food security, jobs and more. Hotter weather also makes it more likely for certain diseases to proliferate and spread.

These factors are also a greater risk for people in some areas than others. Climate-sensitive health risks disproportionately affect the vulnerable and disadvantaged, people who live in crowded areas or those who do not have as much access to health care or social support. The WHO estimates that 3.6 billion people already live in areas that are at risk of climate change-related impacts.

How Latin America Has Been Impacted

In a 2023 report published by the health journal, The Lancet, it’s clear that many of these health risks fall squarely upon the people of Latin America, and some of the health-related impacts of climate change are already being seen in the region. You can see a rundown of these impacts in the table below:

Climate-Related Health Risks to Latin Americans

• Change in temperature in Paraguay from 1986-2005 to 2013-2022: +1.9 degrees Celsius
• Change in temperature in Argentina from 1986-2005 to 2013-2022: +1.2 degrees Celsius
• Increase in exposure to heatwave days among infants from 1986-2005 to 2013-2022: +248%
• Increase in exposure to heatwave days among seniors from 1986-2005 to 2013-2022: +271%
• Increase in heat-related deaths from 2000-2009 to 2013-2022: +140%

Heat is far from the only risk related to these environment changes for the region. Agriculture, industry, deforestation and air and water pollution are all significant factors that are putting Latin American people at risk, as well. In fact, the increase in the rate of premature deaths in the region can be directly tied to the air pollution from the use of fossil fuels in the home, industry, transportation and agriculture.

Heat, pollution and extreme weather events also make the spread of disease more likely. One specific case of this is dengue, a mosquito-based disease that has risen by 54% between 1951-60 and 2013-2022. Malaria is another disease that has been shown to increase as the weather gets warmer. People with chronic health conditions like respiratory or cardiovascular diseases are also at a greater risk as temperatures increase.

What Needs to Be Done

As you assess the state of climate change and health in Latin America, one thing that becomes clear is that it’s already having an impact on public health in the region, and that impact is expected to increase in the years ahead. Between 2030 and 2050, the WHO estimates that climate change will lead to an additional 250,000 deaths annually worldwide from heat stress, diarrhea, malaria and undernutrition alone.

Latin American people also indicate that their lives are being directly affected by climate change. The table below shows the results of a recent survey by European Investment Bank:

The Impact of Climate Change on Latin Americans:

• Survey respondents in favor of climate change-related government measures: 88%
• Survey respondents who believe climate change impacts everyday life: 91%
• Survey respondents who favor investments in renewable energy sources: 80%
• Survey respondents who believe climate change impacts their livelihood or income: 70%
• Survey respondents who think they may have to relocate due to climate change: 54%

The needs to reduce these risks in the region are great, and the Lancet says they will likely require policy changes at the highest level, as well as partnerships and collaborations between the region’s governments. Policies that prioritize reducing social inequities, improving population health, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing climate resilience are all critical. In addition, countries should also look to transition to cleaner sources of energy to reduce air pollution and improve general health. All of this, of course, will require funding through permanent fiscal commitments.

Changes in Latin American Policy

Though much needs to be done in the region, change is already beginning to occur. In 2021, most Latin American and Caribbean countries committed to the United Nations to significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and bringing emissions to net zero by 2050. The UN Environment Programme also has several projects that are actively underway to address climate change and the related health risks specifically in Latin America, as do several other organizations. In addition, both Brazil and Colombia have enacted national climate laws to directly address this issue.

However, most healthcare and climate agencies acknowledge that much work is needed for Latin America to reach its goals. More funding, as well as policies that more directly address the income inequities in the region, will be required to manage the looming healthcare crisis related to climate change.

Key Takeaways for Health Care Companies

Health care companies can support the Latin American effort to combat climate change and the health care issues related to climate change by looking at their own operations in the region and following best practices related to greenhouse gas emissions, as well as their impact on soil, water and other important environmental factors.

In addition, as Latin America continues to combat the risks related to heat and pollution exposure and the rise of communicable diseases related to climate change, medications, treatments and diagnostic equipment required to manage these risks will continue to be in high demand. Health care companies can help the region by providing the needed medications and equipment to keep people as healthy as possible in the face of these rising challenges.

Next Steps

Contact GHI to learn more about climate change trends and their potential impact on the healthcare industry in Latin America. Our team of researchers can provide the analysis you need to gain valuable insights to support strategic decision-making in your industry.

The current outlook on cancer, both worldwide and in Latin America, is a complex story that includes both good news and bad news. Let’s get the bad news out of the way first: Cancer cases are continuing to increase. The World Health Organization says that the year 2022 saw 20 million new cancer cases worldwide, along with 9.7 million deaths. According to the American Cancer Society, the disparity of cancer cases between women and men is also on the rise:  In 2002, cancer rates for women under age 50 were 50% higher than men. In 2021, that rate was 82% higher.

However, this steady rise in cancer rates is accompanied by a few strands of good news, as well. For one, while cancer rates are increasing, death rates are steadily declining. There are several factors at play here, including the overall decline of smoking, as well as the improvements in cancer detection and treatment. But the end result is some significant wins, including breast cancer deaths basically being cut in half between 1975 and 2019. The five-year survival rate for breast cancer is now at 90%.

Increased Healthcare Demands

While nobody would argue that higher cancer survival rates is a bad thing, the increased rate of cancer cases paired with an increased number of survivors is posing an interesting healthcare conundrum on a global scale: A sustained demand for more diagnostic tools, more treatments, more post-treatment monitoring and, in general, a more developed care infrastructure. To get a sense of the scale of growth in the oncology sector, take a look at the table below:

Oncology Market Growth

• Oncology market value in 2025: $356.2b
• Oncology market forecast for 2034: $903.81b
• Forecasted CAGR from 2025-2035: 10.9%
• North America’s oncology market share in 2024: 47%
• Latin America’s oncology market share in 2024: 3%

As you can see, not only is the oncology market projected to grow significantly in the coming years, but there are major disparities in the market that need to be addressed, as evidenced by the discrepancy between North America’s market share and Latin America’s market share. Cancer treatment in the years ahead should not only be focused on bringing needed technologies to market, but also in evening out these disparities on a global scale.

The needs for cancer equipment are growing not only because of rising cancer cases, but because of the increased number of cancer survivors, as well. According to a recent study, the number of cancer survivors actively using medical equipment has increased from 1.6 million in 1999 to 4 million in 2018.

The Modernization of Cancer Care

Beyond just the basic equipment and medication required to meet the needs of the population, another major factor driving oncology market growth is advances and breakthroughs in the treatment field. Here’s a rundown of the growth in this area in recent years:

Cancer Treatment Breakthroughs by the Numbers

• Number of oncology novel active substances (NASs) launched since 2014: 193
• Number launched in 2023 alone: 25
• Number of oncology clinical trials started in 2023: 2,000+
• Annual increase in cancer treatments since 2019: 9%
• Cancer medicine spending in 2023: $223b
• Cancer medicine spending forecast for 2028: $409b

As you can see, not only is the oncology market projected to grow significantly in the coming years, but there are major disparities in the market that need to be addressed, as evidenced by the discrepancy between North America’s market share and Latin America’s market share. Cancer treatment in the years ahead should not only be focused on bringing needed technologies to market, but also in evening out these disparities on a global scale.

The needs for cancer equipment are growing not only because of rising cancer cases, but because of the increased number of cancer survivors, as well. According to a recent study, the number of cancer survivors actively using medical equipment has increased from 1.6 million in 1999 to 4 million in 2018.

Revolutionary Treatments

A lot of this growth is occurring in the realm of precision oncology. This exciting new form of cancer therapy involves treating a patient’s cancer based on the specific DNA signature of the tumor within that particular patient. The result is a more refined and specific diagnosis, a more targeted treatment that focuses on the cancer and does less damage to the surrounding areas of the body and, ultimately, a better outcome for the patient.

Precision oncology requires not only more precise treatment methods, but better diagnostic tools, as well. Many researchers view precision oncology as the future of cancer care, and it’s revolutionizing both diagnostics and treatment.

Of course, precision oncology is still an emerging trend, and the mainstays of cancer treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, are still critical in the daily fight against cancer. Many of these treatment areas are seeing continued innovation, as well.

In particular, radiation therapy has become much more precise and powerful in the fight against cancer in recent years. New techniques such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) enable providers to deliver radiation more powerfully and precisely to the tumor. The result is more effective treatments that are less likely to damage surrounding organs and tissues.

A New Approach to Diagnostics

As treatments improve, cancer diagnostics are seeing a leap forward in precision and efficacy, as well. For example, the newest imaging equipment for cancer, such as CT scans, MRIs, PET scans and more, are incorporating AI-assisted imaging analysis. This gives oncologists a powerful tool in both assisting with and confirming the specifics of their cancer diagnoses.

Other diagnostic breakthroughs in recent years include liquid biopsies, where cancer can be detected and analyzed from a liquid blood sample rather than a surgically removed section of tumor, as well as multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests, innovative blood screenings that can identify multiple types of cancer in their early stages. These are just a few of the many new devices and technologies that are changing the face of cancer diagnosis and treatment.

These breakthroughs, in turn, have fueled an emerging trend of oncology department modernization. Across the globe, many hospitals and oncology centers are upgrading their equipment and infrastructure with the latest equipment. As these centers evolve to accommodate more patients and emerging technologies, it’s important that they remain flexible and patient-centered in their approach to growth.

How Health Care Companies Can Rise to the Challenge

In this new world of rising cancer rates, improved cancer survival and emerging diagnostic and treatment tools, medical equipment and pharmaceutical companies in the oncology space should see major growth opportunities in the years ahead. By adopting the latest technologies, such as AI diagnostic tools, precision oncology diagnostic tools and treatments or advanced radiation delivery therapies, you’ll be well positioned to take advantage of the growing market. At the same time, the overall rise in cancer rates will present growth opportunities for traditional oncology equipment and treatments, as well, while these new therapies are continuing to evolve.

The annual growth rate for the global oncology market over the next 10 years is projected at almost 11%, so companies in the space are well-positioned to scale up as hospitals and medical centers update their equipment and build to meet the growing demand. In addition, Latin America’s global share in the oncology market lags way behind market leaders like North America and Europe. There should be even more potential for growth in these markets as Latin American countries and their respective hospitals and medical centers strive to update the diagnostic and treatment options available to their patients.

Next Steps

Contact GHI to learn more about oncology trends and their potential impact on the healthcare industry in Latin America. Our team of researchers can provide the analysis you need to gain valuable insights to support strategic decision-making in your industry.