Updates on public health, medical research, and healthcare services in Panama. Stories include policy changes, outbreaks, and practical health advice.
Panama is advancing its One Health strategy to link human, animal, environmental, and food safety priorities. Health Minister Fernando Boyd Galindo said COVID-19 highlighted how interconnected those areas are.
Panama’s Health Ministry has activated two surveillance fronts to monitor possible measles cases while reinforcing vaccination as the main prevention tool. Officials are also outlining the immunization schedule used to protect against the disease.
Panama’s Social Security Fund is turning to robotic surgery in Chiriquí as part of an effort to reduce surgical waiting lists. The technology promises greater precision, better visualization, and potentially safer outcomes for complex procedures.
Panama’s Ministry of Health is tracking 386 contacts linked to two imported measles cases and carrying out 21-day surveillance to prevent secondary infections. Officials say most contacts are vaccinated and that the country has no community transmission.
The Ministry of Health will hold a three-day white and green card fair in Tocumen, with service available each morning from 8:00 a.m. to noon. The event is aimed at helping residents complete an important health credential closer to home.
Urgent surgeries are continuing at Chitré’s Dr. Gustavo Nelson Collado Hospital while elective procedures are temporarily paused for air-conditioning repairs in the operating rooms. Patients scheduled for planned surgeries have already been contacted.
Health authorities in the U.S. and France confirmed new hantavirus cases among passengers evacuated from the MV Hondius after a deadly outbreak. The ship remains in Tenerife as countries coordinate testing, quarantine and repatriation measures.
The CSS has opened registration for private doctors on Mi Receta Digital, expanding Panama’s electronic prescription platform. The move brings private medical practices into the country’s digital health system.
Panama’s Health Ministry is keeping nationwide epidemiological surveillance active, with special attention on diseases linked to contact with rodents in rural areas. The monitoring aims to support early detection and prevention across the country.
A reagent shortage has disrupted essential lab testing at the Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid Hospital Complex, affecting kidney, liver, and pancreatic function tests. The Social Security Fund says a centralized purchase of chemistry and immunochemistry supplies is nearing completion.
The CSS has launched “Mi Receta Digital,” a platform that connects doctors, patients, and pharmacies in one system to speed up prescription handling. Private-sector doctors have 30 days to register, while CSS and MINSA doctors who also work privately will be enrolled automatically.
Panama City officials have opened bidding for the B/. 74 million Hospital Regional de Panamá Norte, a project expected to serve more than 600,000 people. The new facility aims to bring specialized public health care closer to fast-growing communities in the north of the district.
Panama’s Health Ministry is asking travelers who were in Bocas del Toro from April 23 to 27 to report for measles monitoring. More than 140 health workers have been deployed as contact tracing continues.
Panama’s Social Security Fund has launched Mi Receta Digital, a QR-based prescription system that sends pickup details by email. Patients can now collect medicines using a digital code instead of only paper documents.
Reagent shortages at Panama’s Complejo Hospitalario are preventing dozens of routine lab tests, disrupting diagnosis and treatment for hospitalized patients. The issue comes amid a CSS purchasing overhaul that officials say is meant to improve supply control.
A fire at the municipal landfill in Montijo, Veraguas, triggered complaints from residents over smoke and calls for an investigation. The blaze raised concerns about public health and waste site safety.
Panama’s Ministry of Health is monitoring 28 direct contacts of a confirmed measles case in San Miguelito, with no symptoms reported so far. Officials say there is no community transmission in the country at this time.
Elective surgeries at the Chitré hospital have been temporarily suspended while repairs are made to the operating room air-conditioning system. The Social Security Fund says the measure is intended to protect patient safety.
Health authorities in San Miguelito stepped up surveillance after Panama confirmed two measles cases. The Ministry of Health activated rapid response protocols to help contain any possible spread.
Roberto Hernández’s work placed ethics, logic, and bioethics at the center of academic life in Panama. His books continue to offer a framework for discussing difficult moral issues with clarity and rigor.