Panama: health and care

What is life expectancy in Panama?

Life expectancy at birth in Panama was 79.78 years in 2024, according to the World Bank's life expectancy series, up from 79.59 in 2023 and 79.32 in 2022. Current health spending was 8.33% of GDP in 2023, according to the World Bank's health expenditure series.

Health care in Panama is provided by the Ministry of Health and the Social Security Fund (CSS), which covered 2,818,384 people in 2025 according to INEC. INEC also publishes monthly counts of patients admitted to hospitals by sector. Life expectancy is an average for a newborn under current death rates, not a forecast.

Official sources: World Bank: Life expectancy at birth, Panama · World Bank: Current health expenditure, Panama · INEC: Population protected by the CSS, 2025 (PDF)

How many doctors are there in Panama?

Panama had 8,068 doctors, 1,325 dentists and 7,613 nurses in 2025, according to INEC's preliminary health workforce figures for 2024-25. The number of doctors rose 7.4% from 7,515 in 2024. 4,371 doctors worked in Panamá province.

The Social Security Fund (CSS) employed 3,727 doctors and the Ministry of Health 2,873; the rest work elsewhere, including private hospitals. Coverage is uneven: Darién province had 47 doctors and the Ngäbe Buglé comarca 40, despite having 9.6% of the country's births.

Official sources: health workforce figures for 2024-25

How many hospital beds does Panama have?

Panama's health facilities had 8,575 beds and cots in 2025, 7.4% more than the 7,983 of 2024, according to INEC's preliminary health facility bed figures for 2024-25. Of these, 6,091 were inpatient beds and 625 intensive care beds, up from 365.

The total includes observation and recovery beds and newborn cots. Nearly half of all beds, 4,132, were in Panamá province. Bed counts cover public and private facilities that report to INEC.

Official sources: health facility bed figures for 2024-25

How many births and deaths are there in Panama?

55,340 live births and 19,719 deaths were registered in Panama in 2025, according to INEC's preliminary births report and deaths report for 2025. 778 of the deaths were of infants under one year old.

Panamá province accounted for 32.4% of births and 43.0% of deaths. The Ngäbe Buglé comarca had 9.6% of births but 12.9% of infant deaths. The figures are preliminary and will be revised. The UN modelled infant mortality rate on World Bank Open Data was 12.0 per 1,000 live births in 2024.

Official sources: births report · deaths report · World Bank Open Data

How much do Panamanians pay for health care themselves?

Households paid 40.46% of Panama's current health spending out of pocket in 2023, according to the World Health Organization's estimates on World Bank Open Data. The share was 40.87% in 2022 and 37.33% in 2021.

Out-of-pocket spending is money paid directly at the point of care, such as for medicines and private consultations, not covered by insurance. Public care is provided by the Ministry of Health and the Social Security Fund (CSS), which covered 2,818,384 people in 2025.

Official sources: World Bank Open Data

How long do people live in Panama?

79.8 years: that is life expectancy at birth in Panama for 2024, according to the UN Population Division. It is the top of the series, which starts in 2005. Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 74.0 years, and Panama placed 3rd highest of 33. Of 193 countries with 2024 data, 43rd highest.

What is the infant mortality rate in Panama?

The UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation puts the infant mortality rate in Panama at 12.0 per 1,000 in 2024. Since 2005 it has ranged from 11.9 per 1,000 (2022) to 17.4 per 1,000 (2005). It is 18th highest of 33 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 12.1 per 1,000. World rank, highest first: 101st of 192.

What is the maternal mortality rate in Panama?

In 2023, the maternal mortality ratio in Panama was 37.0 per 100,000, according to the WHO. It is the bottom of the series, which starts in 2005. It is 25th highest of 33 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 55.0 per 100,000. Worldwide: 106th of 192.

What share of GDP does Panama spend on health care?

The WHO puts current health spending in Panama at 8.3% of GDP in 2023. Since 2005 it has ranged from 6.2% of GDP (2005) to 10.2% of GDP (2020). Latin America & Caribbean median: 6.8% of GDP; Panama is 8th highest of 33. Worldwide: 55th of 191.

How much do people in Panama pay for health care themselves?

The latest figure from the WHO, for 2023, is 40.5%. Its high point since 2005 was 2022, at 40.9%; its low point was 2008, at 29.2%. Latin America & Caribbean median: 29.3%; Panama is 9th highest of 33. Of 191 countries with 2023 data, 55th highest.

What is the doctor to patient ratio in Panama?

According to the WHO, the number of doctors per 1,000 people in Panama was 1.6 per 1,000 in 2022. The peak was 1.7 per 1,000 in 2021 and the low 1.3 per 1,000 in 2007. Latin America & Caribbean median: 2.6 per 1,000; Panama is 10th highest of 12. World rank, highest first: 70th of 125.

How many hospital beds per person does Panama have?

According to the WHO, hospital beds per 1,000 people in Panama was 1.9 per 1,000 in 2023. The peak was 2.3 per 1,000 in 2009 and the low 1.9 per 1,000 in 2020. It is 12th highest of 22 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 2.1 per 1,000. Of 73 countries with 2023 data, 48th highest.

What is the measles vaccination rate in Panama?

According to WHO and UNICEF, measles vaccination among children aged 12 to 23 months in Panama was 93.0% in 2024. Its high point since 2005 was 2005, at 99.0%; its low point was 2020, at 80.0%. Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 89.5%, and Panama placed 10th highest of 32. Of 191 countries with 2024 data, 74th highest.