Updates on public health, medical research, and healthcare services in Panama. Stories include policy changes, outbreaks, and practical health advice.
Panama’s education ministry will distribute fortified semi-skimmed milk in more than 875 schools, reaching over 250,000 students. The program adds a broad nutrition support measure inside the school system.
Panama’s Health Ministry is monitoring 27 people in San Miguelito after a possible measles exposure. Officials say all remain asymptomatic and under daily follow-up.
Panama’s Health Ministry is considering a plan that would let private hospitals give free vaccines supplied by the ministry. The move could expand access and ease pressure on public clinics.
Panama’s Health Ministry is tracing 386 contacts after confirming two imported measles cases and says no community transmission has been detected. Authorities are urging anyone with symptoms and recent travel exposure to seek care immediately.
The University of Panama has banned mental health certificates as a requirement for academic or labor procedures. Any mental health evaluation will now be allowed only in exceptional, justified cases.
Independent experts are calling for a review of Panama’s hantavirus crisis management, focusing on events and communication before May 2. They say the goal is to identify system weaknesses and correct them.
Panama has confirmed its first imported measles cases since 2011 and is monitoring hundreds of contacts to prevent local spread. Health officials are urging vaccination as measles surges across the Americas.
Resident doctors at Hospital Santo Tomás say the Health Ministry owes them overtime pay that is six to eight months overdue, affecting 23 physicians. The complaint adds to wider delays facing medical staff across Panama’s public health system.
Operation Smile is providing free surgeries for children in Chiriquí from May 10 to 14 at the Maternal and Child Hospital in David. The program is celebrating 35 years of service in Panama.
Panama and Costa Rica are coordinating border health measures after a Dutch traveler with measles entered the region. Officials are also vaccinating frontline workers at the crossing.
Panama’s health regions have activated epidemiological surveillance after an imported measles case linked to a traveler from the Netherlands who visited Bocas del Toro. Nearly 400 contacts are being monitored nationwide.
Panama has created four new cancer commissions to strengthen prevention, diagnosis, and treatment coordination. The key question now is whether the government can turn the formal structure into measurable results.
Operation Smile is providing more than 120 free surgeries for children in Chiriquí, continuing 35 years of cleft care in Panama. The campaign is helping low-income families access specialized treatment closer to home.
Four Canadian passengers from the MV Hondius are in quarantine in British Columbia after returning home with no hantavirus symptoms. Health officials are monitoring 11 people in Canada linked to the outbreak.
Operation Smile will perform more than 120 free surgeries for children in Chiriquí as part of its 35 years of work in Panama. The campaign focuses on minors with cleft lip and cleft palate from low-income families.
MEDUCA has released the official 2026 schedule for Escuela para Padres workshops, which will take place on Tuesday, May 12, in regions across Panama. The program aims to strengthen family involvement in education.
Panama’s Health Ministry has rescheduled all off-site health activities, including vaccination drives and medical fairs, to reinforce measles control efforts. The move shifts priority toward stronger prevention and outbreak response.
Panamá Oeste is monitoring 11 contacts after an imported measles case, as Panama responds to two infections that entered the country through Guabito and Tocumen airport. Health teams are focusing on contact tracing and prevention.
CSS says the Complejo Hospitalario’s laboratories continue operating with full coverage for emergencies and hospitalizations, and more than 80% for outpatient care. The clarification comes amid concerns about a possible reagent shortage.
Health officials in Bocas del Toro are tracing 78 contacts linked to a Dutch traveler who tested positive for measles. Twenty-eight people have already been located and are being monitored.