Colombia
Health
Before you travel check that:
- your destination can provide the healthcare you may need
- you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation
This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant.
Emergency medical number
Call 123 and ask for an ambulance.
Contact your insurance company quickly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment.
Vaccine recommendations and health risks
At least 8 weeks before your trip:
- check the latest vaccine recommendations for Colombia
- see where to get vaccines and whether you have to pay on the NHS travel vaccinations page
See what health risks you’ll face in Colombia, including:
- Zika
- malaria and dengue
- yellow fever
- Chikungunya
Altitude sickness is a risk in parts of Colombia, including Bogotá and areas in the Departments of Cundinamarca, Boyacá, Nariño and Antioquia. Read more about altitude sickness on TravelHealthPro.
Drinking tap water
Tap water is safe to drink only in Bogotá. You should drink only bottled water and avoid ice in drinks.
Medication and prescriptions
The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries.
You can find most medication in pharmacies in large cities, but medicine for complex treatment may be unavailable in rural areas and small towns. You may need a prescription from a local doctor to get some controlled medicine.
If you take prescription medication, you will be responsible for determining their legality in Colombia. Always keep your medication in the original container, bring sufficient quantities of your medication with you, pack your medication in your carry-on luggage and carry a copy of your prescriptions.
Pharmacies in Colombia are known as “droguerías”. They can be identified with a cross on the logo and can be easily found in the main cities in Colombia, but are less common in rural areas. Most pharmacies in Colombia will have a delivery service. Prescriptions must be written in Spanish, in the metric system and using the medicine’s generic name.
Read best practice when travelling with medicines on TravelHealthPro.
The NHS has information on whether you can take your medicine abroad.
Healthcare facilities in Colombia
Medical facilities in Colombia vary widely in quality. In large cities and state capitals, private clinics provide good quality care for routine and complex treatment. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation. Not all travel health insurance policies provide cover for private or emergency medical care so check your policy before travelling. Public health facilities and those in smaller cities are generally ill equipped and poorly funded. Ambulance services in remote areas are unreliable and public hospitals often lack adequate medical supplies.
FCDO has a list of medical providers in Columbia where some staff will speak English.
Travel and mental health
Read FCDO guidance on travel and mental health. There is also mental health guidance on TravelHealthPro.