The medical centre was inaugurated on November 1, 1929, as the
Hospital Julia Swayne de Leguía, named after the late wife of then president
Augusto B. Leguía. The inauguration concluded six years of efforts undertaken by philanthropist
Juana Alarco de Dammert, head of the
Sociedad Auxiliadora de la Infancia (SAI). She arranged the purchase of a 11,872 m at
Magdalena Avenue where the Clínica Pasteur (previously the Clínica Larré) had been operating. Its construction was funded both privately and through a tax on alcoholic and fermented beverages. Construction began in 1924 under the administrative and financial supervision of a management committee of the SAI and under the technical supervision of a committee of the
Ministry of Development, headed by Director-General for Healthcare, , who was joined by Francisco Graña and Gonzalo Carbajal. The project had a total cost of
Lp. 171,806.
New building Due to overcrowding, lack of space, and a growing hospital population, a new branch was inaugurated in 2013 in
San Borja District. The new branch was initially envisioned by
Alan García for its establishment during
his second term; however, due to delays, it was inaugurated his successor,
Ollanta Humala. The new centre is a highly complex, specialized pediatric surgical hospital that serves children, adolescents, and minors referred from other hospitals nationwide. It also boasts cutting-edge technology for telemedicine, tele-education, and remote management, making it the first hospital in Peru on the path to digitalization. Since 2025, a
Ronald McDonald House operates in the building. == See also ==