Biologist Carlos Collantes, beach specialist from the General Directorate of Environmental Health (Digesa) of the Minsa, reported that the “Healthy Summer” platform of the Ministry of Health has been put into operation, through which citizens can find out in real time which beaches are suitable for the beginning of 2026.
In that sense, he specified that, until the closing of December 29, a total of 311 beaches have health surveillance at the end of 2025, of which about 60% have “an unhealthy rating and approximately 40% have a healthy rating at the national level”.
“The Ministry of Health, through DIGESA, carries out this activity constantly throughout the year. Even more so in these years, in this high heat season where bathers constantly flock. The percentage in terms of processed data, we have, as of today’s closing, December 29, 311 beaches with surveillance until 2025. Of these, approximately 60 percent have an unhealthy rating, and approximately 40 percent have a healthy rating at the national level.”, he declared to RPP.
He added that the regulation to determine whether a beach is healthy or not is established in Health Directive No. 162-MINSA/DIGESA-2025, approved by Ministerial Resolution No. 217-2025/MINSA.
Collantes pointed out that the evaluation of a beach considers three fundamental criteria: the microbiological quality of the water, the availability of hygienic services and the cleanliness of the coastline, including the correct disposal of waste.
“Based on this directive, the health authority of each jurisdiction carries out the activity with an established frequency. In high season the surveillance frequency is weekly. It consists of the evaluation of three criteria. One of them is microbiological quality, where an indicator or bacteria is evaluated as an indicator of water quality. Two of them are criteria that are clearly the responsibility of local municipalities; However, we developed this evaluation, which would be the presence of hygienic services“, held.
“In relation to the quality of the beach, more than all we verify municipal waste and the presence of bins for that waste. All of this entails a final qualification, which, as I am mentioning, these last two criteria, being the responsibility of the local municipality, we are constantly articulating with them for correction.”he added.
In addition, he warned that going to unhealthy beaches can cause various health problems, including skin infections and gastrointestinal disorders.
Collantes indicated that the most frequent infections are diarrhea, caused by the presence of fecal bacteria in both water and contaminated sand.
“Both the sea and the sand dynamically change their conditions, so, under this, the direct recommendation for the bathing population would be to try to go to these areas that have a healthy rating.”, he noted.
