Mercedes Cabanillas

Peruvian social entrepreneur revolutionizing healthcare access through mobile clinics

Mercedes Cabanillas founded Salud Mujer, a nonprofit providing mobile healthcare services to Peru's rural Andean communities. Starting in 2014, her initiative operates 12 mobile units delivering maternal health services, cancer screenings, and medical training to regions with physician shortages. By 2019, the program had served over 200,000 patients and trained 1,500 community health workers. Her work addresses Peru's stark healthcare disparities where 70% of rural women lack access to gynecological care. Key innovations include telemedicine partnerships with Lima hospitals and culturally adapted programs for Quechua-speaking populations. Recognized as a Forbes Women Who Mean Business honoree in 2017, her model inspired similar programs in Bolivia and Ecuador. Current initiatives include solar-powered mobile units and a partnership with WHO to expand cervical cancer prevention programs. Cabanillas' TEDx talk Healthcare on Wheels has over 2 million views and influenced global mobile clinic strategies.