Peru's social health insurer EsSalud presented on Friday (October 30) the equipment that will accompany Pope Leo XIV during his visit to the country from Nov 11. to Nov. 16.

An ICU ambulance will be following the pontiff during his trip to the country he served as bishop between 2015 and 2023.

The South America tour comes after Leo had part of onle lung removed in surgery on Oct. 13 with a lung cancer diagnosis. His doctors have said the cancer was localized and had not spread, and will not require future treatment.

The Vatican confirmed on Monday he would go forward with a three-country, November 6-17 visit across South America, one ot he most intense foreign tours arranged for a pope in decades.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

ICU ambulances gear up for Pope Leo's Peru visit

VIDEO SHOWS: EMERGENCY STAFF DURING DRILL IN ICU AMBULANCE / SOUNDBITES FROM PERU HEALTH INSURER REPRESENTATIVE, PHYSICIAN

SHOWS: LIMA, PERU (OCTOBER 30, 2026) (REUTERS -- Access all)

1. BANNER WITH IMAGE OF POPE LEO AND AMBULANCE WITH HEALTH PERSONNEL

2. VARIOUS OF STAFF DURING A DRILL IN AMBULANCE

3. BANNER WITH IMAGE OF POPE LEO READING (Spanish): “THE POPE RETURNS HOME”

4. TABLE WITH EMERGENCY MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND BANNER WITH IMAGE OF POPE LEO

5. MEDICAL EQUIPMENT ON TABLE

6. AMBULANCES AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT OF SOCIAL HEALTH INSURANCE (ESSALUD), ZULEMA TOMAS, SAYING:

"This type III ambulance, which will be behind the papal capsule, is important because it is a mini intensive care unit for high-severity conditions, for patients who need intubation, a mechanical ventilator, a monitor and the necessary drugs, but also, I repeat, staffed by intensive care specialists and emergency physicians."

8. HEALTH PERSONNEL SHOWING MEDICAL DEVICES

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT OF SOCIAL HEALTH INSURANCE (ESSALUD), ZULEMA TOMAS, SAYING:

"We know our Holy Father has just come out of surgery, and our staff is prepared to care for him, and likewise for our citizens and for those who arrive with the Pope from Rome".

10. AMBULANCE AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL

11. MEDICAL PERSONNEL INSIDE AMBULANCE

12. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN, CARLOS MALPICA, SAYING:

"We have the responsability of assigning a type III ambulance specifically for His Holiness's capsule, and a type II ambulance for the capsule where other Church entities will travel. These ambulances will accompany His Holiness exclusively throughout the entire route, 24 hours a day, they will even rest there at the Nunciature."

13. AMBULANCES THAT WILL ACCOMPANY POPE LEO