Updates on public health, medical research, and healthcare services in Panama. Stories include policy changes, outbreaks, and practical health advice.
Panama’s Ministry of Health has confirmed the country’s first imported measles case, increasing attention on vaccination and disease surveillance. Authorities are focusing on preventing any further spread.
Colón has reported its first dengue death as cases continue to rise. Panama’s Health Ministry is expanding fumigation and inspections across affected communities.
Panama’s civil protection system is monitoring Saharan dust affecting several provinces through May 10. Residents are being urged to take precautions, especially in vulnerable groups.
Panama’s Ministry of Social Development is pushing the Cuidarte program to serve 3,000 children in rural areas across several provinces and comarcas. The initiative targets communities in Veraguas, Bocas del Toro, Colón, Chiriquí, and indigenous regions including Ngäbe Buglé, Emberá and Guna Yala.
Panama is expanding home-based support for older adults as abandoned patients continue to expose pressure on public hospitals. The response includes medical visits, medicines, diapers, and nutritional supplements.
A Panama study found that PrEP remains highly effective against HIV but does not protect against other STIs such as syphilis and gonorrhea. Researchers say condom use, education and follow-up care remain essential.
Panama’s debate over inclusive education is shifting from legal recognition to implementation as Bill 617 renews scrutiny of how schools support students with disabilities. Advocates say the country needs one clear system, not parallel structures that delay access.
A government and U.S. Southern Command medical mission is working in Azuero to reduce the gastroenterology backlog and improve access to specialist care. The effort focuses on early detection of digestive diseases and better services in Panama’s interior.
WHO and Panamanian experts say a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius is not the beginning of a covid-style pandemic. Panama’s own hantavirus threat is tied to rodent exposure, not sustained human spread.
Hospital Santo Tomás and Operation Walk are carrying out a free knee replacement campaign in Panama for 35 patients. The program aims to improve mobility and relieve pain for people who need specialized orthopedic surgery.
Hospital Santo Tomás has launched a knee-replacement surgery campaign with Operation Walk, aiming to help about 35 patients from across Panama during May. The program also has support from the Ministry of Health and FUNDAYUDA.
Panama’s health ministry is monitoring hantavirus after 14 accumulated cases were confirmed in 2026. Officials are urging residents to avoid rodent exposure and follow cleaning precautions.
Panama has logged a third straight year of declining births, signaling a notable demographic shift. The trend could affect schools, healthcare, and long-term workforce planning.
Panama has recorded hantavirus cases in 2026, raising awareness about how the disease spreads, its early symptoms and how to prevent infection. Health officials emphasize rodent control and prompt medical attention for warning signs.
Panama has put out a B/. 30.8 million tender to strengthen care for ulcers and diabetic foot conditions. The contract also covers storage and distribution to help ensure steady supplies for treatment.
Panama’s Social Security Fund has acquired three robotic surgery systems to expand tele-surgery and bring advanced care closer to patients in the provinces. The equipment will be installed in Panama City, Herrera, and Chiriquí.
Hantavirus cases linked to the MV Hondius have climbed to nine, with health officials tracing contacts in Europe, Africa and Asia. Five infections have now been confirmed by laboratory tests.
Panama’s Ministry of Labor delivered scholarships to minors identified in labor or vulnerable situations through the “Abrazos del Futuro” program. The initiative, run with IFARHU and partner institutions, seeks to prevent and reduce child labor.
A Panamanian doctor highlighted the ordeal of a Social Security patient who waited days in severe tooth pain because a required panoramic X-ray could take two weeks to schedule. The case reflects broader frustrations with delays, rigid procedures, and patient care in the system.
Panama’s CSS is expanding robotic surgery in provincial hospitals with new equipment that will bring its total number of operating systems to five. The institution has already performed more than 500 robotic surgeries.