What types of health services are available?

We recommend travel Insurance when traveling abroad.

In general, if you need hospitalization, the traveler will have to pay the hospital and then later be reimbursed by the insurance company. In most hospitals and clinics, credit cards are accepted. In Ecuador there are many quality hospitals and clinics where the traveler can be treated if there is some emergency while in the country.
 

In the case that some type of medication is needed, the traveler can obtain this at any pharmacy. The largest chain of pharmacies in Quito and in the country is Fybeca. Throughout the city, small and large pharmacies can be found. But remember that if you generally take some specific medication in your home country, this type of medication may not exist in Ecuador so you should make sure to bring a large enough supply of the product to last you during your stay. It is also recommendable to know generic names of certain medications

Medical resources in the Galápagos Islands are severely limited. Acute surgical, cardiac, and other types of specialty medicine are not available. There are two hospitals, located on the Santa Cruz and San Cristobal Islands. These facilities have limited personnel and resources, and often do not have basic medical supplies. Some cruise ships have on-board physicians available, who charge a fee for their services. Scuba divers in the Galápagos Islands should be aware of limited facilities for decompression.