North and Central America and Caribbean

Panama City has some good private hospitals and clinics but medical facilities outside the capital are limited.

Malaria and dengue fever are common to parts of Panama, including in some outlying areas of Panama City. Dengue fever is common to Latin America and the Caribbean and can occur throughout the year.

There is a risk of yellow fever transmission in the provinces of Darien, San Blas, or east Panama. This does not include Panama City and the Canal Zone.  Visitors should seek specialist advice about the need to receive Yellow Fever vaccine if travelling to these areas. Travellers planning to visit these provinces should obtain a yellow fever vaccine ten days prior to travel.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 19,000 adults aged 15 or over in Panama were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 1.0% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%.  You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV/AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Panama and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.  You should take all precautions to avoid mosquito bites at all times of the day or night.  For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel For more general information on how to do this see or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

 

A (H1N1) - Swine Flu

 

There have been confirmed human cases of the Influenza A (H1N1) virus (Swine Flu) in Panama, including a number of deaths.  You can check for updates on the number of cases and their locations through the World Health Organisation (WHO) (whose Pandemic Threat Alert Phase has been raised to Level 6). The WHO website at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details. You should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice.  A dedicated Swine Flu page can be found on the FCO website.  Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/index.htm.

For more general health information see Travel Health.