Health, vaccinations and medical care in Panama

Care

• Panama City has good private hospitals and clinics, several with English-speaking staff. Outside the capital, facilities are limited, and on the islands they are minimal.
• This shapes the whole trip. A serious problem in Bocas del Toro or Guna Yala means being moved to Panama City, and that is what medical evacuation cover is for.
• Take insurance that covers evacuation, not just treatment.

Water and food

• Tap water is safe to drink in most of Panama, which is not true of most of Central America and surprises people.
• The exceptions are rural areas and the islands - Bocas del Toro in particular - where you should follow local advice and drink bottled.

Mosquitoes

• Dengue, Zika and chikungunya are present. Dengue is the realistic one, it is urban as well as rural, and the mosquito bites in daylight.
• Malaria risk exists in parts of the country, chiefly the Darien and the Caribbean coast, not in Panama City.
• Repellent during the day, not just at dusk, is the practical rule here.

Numbers

• 911 for emergencies, 103 for an ambulance.
• Yellow fever certificate is required if you are arriving from a country with transmission risk.