Health services in Brazil
If you purchased a private health insurance, check the coverage provided and which services are reference for medical care.
If you have not purchased a private health insurance, you need to know that the public health services are free in Brazil.
Foreign tourists with health problems can seek care in the emergency care network of the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS - Brazilian Public Health Care) through the following services:
Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU 192)
SAMU operates 24 hours, all days of the week, and the access is made through the telephone number 192. The call is free and can be made using any land line or local cell phone. SAMU performs the urgency and emergency care, through ambulances, anywhere: homes, workplaces and public roads. The team comprises doctors, nurses, assistant nurses and first aiders, that meet the urgent need of traumatic nature, clinical, surgical, pediatric, gynecological-obstetrical and mental health of the population.
SIATE - Integrated Service of Trauma Care in Emergency
SIATE is a service of the Fire Department, composed by specialized teams, at the disposal of the population 24 hours per day. It can be called in the event of accidents of any nature, on the phone 193. It performs pre-hospital care to victims of trauma in several levels, from a fracture in the domestic environment to automobile accidents with several victims.
In 2003, only seven municipalities of Paraná counted on the assistance of the Siate. Currently the medical emergency service is based in 32 municipalities in the state.
Accident & Emergency Units (UPA 24h)
They provide assistance to patients with acute cases of clinical nature, as well as the first aid in cases of surgical nature or of trauma. They stabilize the patients and perform the initial diagnostic investigation, defining, in all cases, the need or not of forwarding the more complex hospital services.