Updates on public health, medical research, and healthcare services in Panama. Stories include policy changes, outbreaks, and practical health advice.
Panama weather authorities have warned of thunderstorms across much of the country and a heat index that could reach 40°C in the Pacific. The alert raises concerns over heat stroke and dangerous outdoor conditions.
Patients at the David polyclinic in Chiriquí reported long pharmacy lines so severe that some fainted while waiting for prescriptions. Caja de Seguro Social says changes are underway to improve dispensing and inventory control.
Families in Gaza are facing a growing rat infestation in overcrowded displacement camps as sanitation systems collapse and waste piles up. The problem adds another public health risk to an already severe humanitarian crisis.
A modern breast milk bank has been delivered to the Irma de Lourdes Tzanetatos Hospital to support hospitalized babies who cannot be fed by their mothers. The project aims to improve neonatal care through collection, processing, and distribution of donated milk.
Education Minister Lucy Molinar mourned the deaths of two students who crossed rivers in the Ngäbe Buglé Comarca and urged schools to follow disaster safety guidance. The tragedy highlights the risks faced by students in remote areas of Panama.
School dropout in Panama is being framed not only as a social problem but as a legal test of the country’s duty to guarantee education. The issue highlights the need for earlier intervention, stronger support systems, and coordinated action to keep students in school.
A fire in a storage depot at Aquilino Tejeira Hospital in Penonomé was brought under control by Panama’s fire service, with support from SINAPROC. The emergency response helped contain the incident at the hospital facility.
Patients at Hospital Santo Tomás say dialysis care is suffering from equipment, supply and infrastructure problems. The hospital says treatment remains normal and repairs are already moving forward.
Hospital Santo Tomás says its hemodialysis service will continue while the facility carries out corrective work on its infrastructure. The move is aimed at protecting continuity of care for patients who depend on regular dialysis treatment.
A 22-year-old man regained hand movement after a high-complexity surgery by the Caja de Seguro Social in Veraguas. The case highlights the reach of specialized public health care in Panama’s provinces.
Panama’s Social Security agency is investigating $2.5 million in expired medicines, and the agency’s director says the total could be even higher. The case raises fresh concerns about inventory control and oversight in the public health system.
Panama’s Social Security system has added a modern human milk bank and refrigerated vehicle to improve the collection and delivery of donated breast milk for hospitalized babies. The move strengthens neonatal care and supports infants who need specialized nutrition.
Panama’s Health Ministry opened a modern maternal and child health center in Sambú, Darién, a facility expected to benefit about 5,000 people. The new center improves access to essential care in one of the country’s most remote provinces.
Hilltop communities in Atalaya, Veraguas, have gone more than four months without regular drinking water service. The prolonged shortage is worsening daily conditions for local residents.
Panama’s Ministry of Health launched the 2026 Americas Vaccination Week in Herrera, with special emphasis on the district of Ocú. The campaign aims to strengthen immunization coverage and promote preventive care.
Patients at the David polyclinic in Chiriquí faced long pharmacy lines that, in some cases, caused fainting. Caja de Seguro Social says it is changing dispensing and storage procedures to improve service.
Patients in David reportedly fainted while waiting in long pharmacy lines at the local polyclinic. The Social Security system says it is making changes to medication dispensing and storage to improve service.
The University of Panama has modernized its veterinary laboratories with advanced simulation technology, improving hands-on learning for students. The upgrade is designed to strengthen practical training and raise the quality of instruction.
Patients at Santo Tomás Hospital are warning that the hemodialysis unit is nearing collapse because of equipment damage and supply shortages. The disruptions have also affected transplant-related procedures, intensifying concern for kidney patients.
Gaza is reporting a 140% rise in stillbirths and a doubling of congenital anomalies as war continues to overwhelm the territory’s health system. The figures point to a hidden humanitarian toll that extends well beyond battlefield casualties.