Updates on public health, medical research, and healthcare services in Panama. Stories include policy changes, outbreaks, and practical health advice.
Cancer consultations in Panama have climbed from 96,000 to 165,000 in a decade, with about 7,700 new cases diagnosed each year. Cervicouterine and prostate cancers remain the most common.
Patients at the Dr. Raúl Dávila Mena Hospital in Changuinola say they are waiting months for specialist appointments because of staffing shortages. The delays are adding pressure on families who rely on public healthcare in Bocas del Toro.
Panama is hosting a skin disease meeting focused on better diagnosis and improved access to care. The event also aims to make patient needs more visible.
Three children in Chiriquí underwent the province’s first-ever pediatric ductus arteriosus closure, a milestone in specialized heart care outside Panama City. The minimally invasive procedure was performed successfully at the Dr. Rafael Hernández L. hospital in David.
Misión Patitas held its 26th sterilization day in Colón, with the First Lady and President José Raúl Mulino attending the event. The campaign also paired veterinary care with free mobile health services for residents.
A measles outbreak in Sudan’s East Darfur state has killed at least 70 people in weeks, exposing the human cost of the country’s collapsing health system. The crisis is unfolding amid war, displacement and widespread shortages of medicine.
More than 700 pets were cared for in Colón during the 26th Mission Patitas sterilization campaign led by the Office of the First Lady. The drive highlighted ongoing efforts to expand animal welfare services in Panama.
Colón held a mass pet sterilization campaign that completed 1,000 procedures in one day. The effort is part of Misión Patitas, which has now surpassed 25,000 interventions nationwide.
Panama’s medicine shortages reflect deeper failures in procurement, logistics, and oversight across the public health system. The debate now centers on coordination, not individual blame.
Panama’s Health Ministry said all 28 people affected by an agrochemical spill in Colón were discharged after evaluation. Sanitary surveillance continues as a precaution despite the absence of symptoms.
Panama is targeting tuberculosis in Bocas del Toro, Panama East and Guna Yala with expanded testing, treatment and prevention plans. Health officials say the disease remains concentrated in areas with harder access to care and tougher social conditions.
Panama’s Ministry of Health said 28 people were affected by an agrochemical spill in Colón and were treated and discharged. Officials said all of the patients are out of danger.
Authorities in Colón are monitoring a possible agrochemical inhalation incident after containers labeled aluminum phosphide were found near homes. The case underscores the risks of improper pesticide storage in residential areas.
More than 20 people in Colón are under medical observation after an agrochemical spill, with health officials warning of possible delayed respiratory complications. Monitoring will continue for 48 to 72 hours.
Panama’s Health Ministry said 28 people exposed to an agrochemical in Salamanca, Colón, are out of danger and have all been discharged. Officials urged medical monitoring for 48 to 72 hours in case of delayed respiratory complications.
Twenty-eight people were treated after an agrochemical spill in Salamanca, Colón, and all were reported safe. Health officials advised 48 to 72 hours of monitoring for possible delayed respiratory symptoms.
The Ministry of Health condemned the vandalism of the Cerro Puerco health post in Ngäbe Buglé after intruders damaged the facility and stole nutrition supplies. The center serves about 5,000 people in a remote area where public health access is vital.
A health post in Cerro Puerco was vandalized, with furniture and equipment damaged and seven packages of Nutri Crema stolen. The facility serves about 5,000 people.
Panama’s Ministry of Health, customs officers, and other control agencies joined a workshop to strengthen oversight of regulated chemicals. The training focused on technical exchange and updating regulatory skills to improve national monitoring.
Azuero’s water crisis is nearing one year, with wells now at the center of Panama’s emergency response. Authorities are also upgrading plants and networks as thousands of families continue relying on tanker trucks and stored water.