Health in Panama

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Panama’s reputation as the most health-conscious country in Latin America dates back to the construction of the Panama Canal when the Isthmus was freed from tropical diseases. Not only did U.S. doctors help to eradicate malaria, yellow fever and typhoid; they inspired generations of Panamanian physicians to train in the US and Europe and return to their homeland to build hospitals with the latest technology.

With this background it is no wonder that Panama is now in the vanguard of the health concept.

Health care in developed countries is generally exorbitantly expensive often dogged by long waiting lists and indifferent care. Now, especially in the internet age of universal communication, people from these countries are realizing that they can get as good or better treatment in other countries at a lower cost- and have a holiday into the bargain.

Health and medical services in Panama are very good, mostly because our medical professionals are well-trained abroad, bi-lingual and board-certified; and our hospitals have the latest technologies for surgery and sophisticated procedures.

On most procedures Panama offers savings of more than 50% over US and European prices and in addition, medical expenses (including travel) can be deductible under US tax law.

The recent influx of “Baby Boomers” into Panama will serve to keep improving the facilities offered here.

Patients feel at ease here in Panama because doctors and staff speak perfect English and feel that they are treated with respect and that doctors are genuinely interested in them as individuals instead of making them feel like a number.

Alternative and complementary and preventative medicine is also well-represented in Panama. In the two Chinatowns of Panama city, practitioners prescribe imported herbs which are available in Chinese Supermarkets. Acupuncture has its own professional body here -a branch of the Circulo de Investigadores de Acupunctura de China.

Other disciplines include Homeopathy, Homotoxology, Herbal Medicine, Prolotherapy, Intravenous Quelation, Magnetotherapy, Manual Therapies (Chiropractic, Reibi).