Emergency Numbers & Access
Call 104 (Asistencia al Turista — tourist medical emergency line). For resort areas, call resort reception first — they coordinate Servimed ambulance. Clínica Internacional Cira García (Calle 20 No. 4101, Miramar, Havana; +53 7 204 2811) — open 24/7, best-equipped tourist hospital in Cuba, English and German-speaking staff. Cira García has its own pharmacy (Farmácia Internacional) with the most consistently stocked supply in the country. Varadero: Clínica Internacional Varadero (Calle 61 e/ 0 y 1, +53 45 66 7710). Cayo Coco and resort cays: clinics within resort areas, transfers to Santa Clara or Ciego de Ávila if needed. IMPORTANT: carry insurance documents at all times — Servimed facilities will ask for these at every encounter.
Response time: Havana: 15-25 minutes (Servimed-coordinated). Varadero, Cayo Coco, major resort areas: resort médico on-site, transfer to nearest Servimed clinic 20-60 minutes. Rural areas and eastern Cuba: potentially 1-2+ hours with limited resources.
Cost: Clínica Internacional Cira García (Havana): consultation €25-80, ER visit €50-200, hospitalisation €80-250/day. Resort médico visit: €20-60 (billed to room). Ambulance (Asistencia al Turista): €30-100. Blood tests/imaging at Servimed: €20-150 per test. Minor surgery: €200-800. Air evacuation to Miami/Mexico City: €8,000-25,000+. Full hospitalisation abroad for serious emergency: €50,000-200,000+.
Healthcare System
Cuba's healthcare system is one of the great paradoxes of global medicine. The country has one of the highest doctor-to-patient ratios in the world (~8.4 doctors per 1,000 people — higher than the US, UK, or Canada), has virtually eliminated several diseases endemic elsewhere in Latin America, and has produced internationally respected medical research and vaccines. Cuban doctors are trained to an internationally competitive standard. And yet: the system faces critical, chronic shortages of medications, medical equipment, bandages, X-ray film, and basic supplies as a consequence of the US embargo and economic mismanagement. The resolution of this paradox for tourists is a legally mandated parallel system: the Servimed network, operated by the government's commercial health subsidiary, runs international clinics and hospitals exclusively for foreigners, charging in euros or convertible currency. Tourists cannot legally use regular Cuban polyclinics or hospitals — and would not want to, as they face severe equipment and supply shortages. The main Servimed facilities are: Clínica Internacional Cira García (Havana — the flagship, best-equipped, English-speaking, full range of specialties), Clínica Internacional Cira García branches (Varadero, Trinidad, Sancti Spíritus), and hospital-based international wards in other cities. All-inclusive resorts in Varadero, Cayo Coco, Cayo Santa María, and Holguín have on-site medical staff (médico de guardia) available for minor ailments. The medication crisis is the defining practical reality for tourists: even Servimed pharmacies (Farmácias Internacionales) have highly variable and often thin stock. The consistent advice from every source is unambiguous — bring everything you need for your entire trip. This is not cautious travel advice; it is the difference between having your medication and not having it. For complex medical cases, air evacuation to Miami (45 minutes from Havana), Panama City, or Mexico City is the standard protocol. Travel insurance with medical evacuation is MANDATORY for entry — Cuban immigration checks at arrival.
Designed for: All Cuban citizens — universal free coverage. Tourists are legally directed to the parallel Servimed (tourist medical) system, which charges in hard currency.
GP Access & Costs
Tourists use Servimed network only. Three tiers: (1) Resort médico de guardia — on-site at all-inclusive hotels, immediate access, minor ailments only, billed to room. (2) Servimed polyclinic — nearby resorts/cities, walk-in or resort-arranged transfer, English-speaking. (3) Clínica Internacional Cira García (Havana) — full specialty care, laboratory, imaging, 24/7. No walk-in to regular Cuban polyclinics for tourists.
Typical wait: Resort médico: immediate. Servimed clinic: 15-45 minutes. Cira García Havana: 30-60 minutes.
Availability: Good in Havana (Cira García). Adequate in major resort areas (Varadero, Cayo Coco, Cayo Santa María, Holguín/Guardalavaca). Limited in eastern Cuba (Santiago de Cuba has some Servimed capacity). Thin in rural interior Cuba. The Servimed network was specifically designed to serve mass tourism — coverage is reasonable in the tourist corridor but drops sharply outside it.
GP Visit
Resort médico: €20-60
Private GP
€25-80 at Servimed polyclinic. €50-150 at Cira García specialty. Resort médico: €20-60.
ER Without Insurance
Servimed ER: €50-200. Hospitalisation: €80-250/day. Air evacuation to Miami: €10,000-25,000+. If uninsured, Servimed will demand payment upfront or hold passport — a documented practice.
Medication
CRITICAL: Cuba has severe, chronic medication shortages. This affects even the Farmácias Internacionales (tourist pharmacies). Bring ALL personal medications — prescription and OTC — in sufficient quantity for the entire trip plus a 5-day buffer. Items frequently unavailable even in Havana: common prescription medications, specific antihistamines, many OTC products, EpiPens, specific contraceptives. Farmácia Internacional at Cira García (Havana) has the most reliable stock in the country but is still highly variable. Do not arrive in Cuba counting on buying any specific medication.
Health insurance is required for visa
Pharmacy & Medication
Hours: Farmácia Internacional Cira García (Havana, 24/7) — most reliable. Resort farmacias: variable hours, thin stock. Regular Cuban farmacias (for residents): often empty shelves — not for tourist use. Servimed clinics dispense medications directly — but stock-dependent.
OTC: Very limited and unreliable, even at tourist pharmacies. Standard Western OTC items (ibuprofen, antihistamines, specific cold preparations) may or may not be available. Paracetamol and basic items sometimes available at resort farmacias. Bring everything: antihistamines, ibuprofen/paracetamol, antidiarrheals, antacids, motion sickness tablets, sunscreen, insect repellent, contraceptives, any specialist medications.
Controlled substances: Carry a detailed doctor's letter for ALL prescription medications, especially opioids, sleep aids, psychiatric medications, and strong pain relief. Keep all medications in original packaging. Cuban customs inspects medications on arrival. Cuban drug laws apply — possession of controlled substances without documentation is treated seriously.
Practical Tips
- Clínica Internacional Cira García, Havana (+53 7 204 2811, Calle 20 No. 4101, Miramar) — the best medical facility in Cuba for tourists. English and German speaking. 24/7. Has its own pharmacy.
- Travel insurance with medical evacuation: buy before departure. Confirm it covers Cuba explicitly (some US-based policies exclude Cuba). Insurance should include air ambulance to the US or Mexico.
- Cash strategy: bring sufficient Euros or Canadian dollars for the full trip. Change at CADECA exchange offices (airport or city branches) — better rate than hotels. Keep USD for last resort (10% penalty).
- Before departure: compile a list of all medications you take with generic names (not brand names) and doses — useful if you need to describe what you need to a Cuban doctor.
- Resort médico hours: ask on arrival what hours the doctor is available and what the after-hours procedure is. Not all resort médicos are available 24/7.
- Bring: DEET insect repellent (dengue), sunscreen (limited availability), oral rehydration salts (traveller's diarrhoea risk), antidiarrheal medication, antihistamines, your full prescription supply.
- Cubacel SIM: available at ETECSA offices (Havana, Varadero, Santiago) — requires passport. Nauta WiFi cards also available for hotel WiFi access. Internet speeds are slow by international standards.
- Varadero travellers: Clínica Internacional Varadero (Calle 61, +53 45 66 7710) handles most resort-area medical needs. More complex cases transferred to Havana.
Who can get care in Cuba?
Emergency care for anyone
Emergency departments in Cuba treat everyone regardless of residency or insurance status. Charges can still apply afterwards.
Public system for visitors
The public system does not cover visitors, so care is paid privately or through insurance.
Seeing a Doctor as a visitor
Tourists use Servimed network only. Three tiers: (1) Resort médico de guardia — on-site at all-inclusive hotels, immediate access, minor ailments only, billed to room. (2) Servimed polyclinic — nearby resorts/cities, walk-in or resort-arranged transfer, English-speaking. (3) Clínica Internacional Cira García (Havana) — full specialty care, laboratory, imaging, 24/7. No walk-in to regular Cuban polyclinics for tourists. Typical cost: Resort médico: €20-60. Servimed polyclinic: €25-80 consultation. Cira García specialty: €50-150. Dental (Servimed): €20-100 for basic procedures. Laboratory tests: €15-80 each. Typical wait: Resort médico: immediate. Servimed clinic: 15-45 minutes. Cira García Havana: 30-60 minutes.
Insurance needed for entry or visa
Proof of medical insurance is required for entry or for a visa to Cuba.
Documents worth having ready
- Travel insurance with MEDICAL EVACUATION — mandatory for entry, checked at immigration
- Tourist Card (tarjeta del turista) — purchased through airline, travel agent, or Cuban embassy before arrival
- Passport (valid 6 months)
- Proof of accommodation (hotel booking or casa particular reservation)
- ALL prescription medications for full trip duration — bring extra supply
- Doctor's letter for any prescription medications
Local contacts in Cuba
Emergency services
104 (ambulance — Asistencia al Turista) / 106 (police — PNR) / 105 (fire)
Call 104 (Asistencia al Turista — tourist medical emergency line). For resort areas, call resort reception first — they coordinate Servimed ambulance. Clínica Internacional Cira García (Calle 20 No. 4101, Miramar, Havana; +53 7 204 2811) — open 24/7, best-equipped tourist hospital in Cuba, English and German-speaking staff. Cira García has its own pharmacy (Farmácia Internacional) with the most consistently stocked supply in the country. Varadero: Clínica Internacional Varadero (Calle 61 e/ 0 y 1, +53 45 66 7710). Cayo Coco and resort cays: clinics within resort areas, transfers to Santa Clara or Ciego de Ávila if needed. IMPORTANT: carry insurance documents at all times — Servimed facilities will ask for these at every encounter.
Pharmacies
Farmácia Internacional Cira García (Havana, 24/7) — most reliable. Resort farmacias: variable hours, thin stock. Regular Cuban farmacias (for residents): often empty shelves — not for tourist use. Servimed clinics dispense medications directly — but stock-dependent.
Very limited and unreliable, even at tourist pharmacies. Standard Western OTC items (ibuprofen, antihistamines, specific cold preparations) may or may not be available. Paracetamol and basic items sometimes available at resort farmacias. Bring everything: antihistamines, ibuprofen/paracetamol, antidiarrheals, antacids, motion sickness tablets, sunscreen, insect repellent, contraceptives, any specialist medications.
What is the emergency number in Cuba?
104 (ambulance — Asistencia al Turista) or 106 (police — PNR) or 105 (fire) in Cuba. Call 104 (Asistencia al Turista — tourist medical emergency line). For resort areas, call resort reception first — they coordinate Servimed ambulance. Clínica Internacional Cira García (Calle 20 No. 4101, Miramar, Havana; +53 7 204 2811) — open 24/7, best-equipped tourist hospital in Cuba, English and German-speaking staff. Cira García has its own pharmacy (Farmácia Internacional) with the most consistently stocked supply in the country. Varadero: Clínica Internacional Varadero (Calle 61 e/ 0 y 1, +53 45 66 7710). Cayo Coco and resort cays: clinics within resort areas, transfers to Santa Clara or Ciego de Ávila if needed. IMPORTANT: carry insurance documents at all times — Servimed facilities will ask for these at every encounter.
How much does a Doctor visit cost in Cuba?
Resort médico: €20-60. Servimed polyclinic: €25-80 consultation. Cira García specialty: €50-150. Dental (Servimed): €20-100 for basic procedures. Laboratory tests: €15-80 each. Private consultations: €25-80 at Servimed polyclinic. €50-150 at Cira García specialty. Resort médico: €20-60..
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Sources: Cuban Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP), Servimed / Clínica Internacional Cira García, UK FCDO Travel Advice Cuba 2025, US State Department Cuba Travel Advisory 2025, CDC Travelers' Health — Cuba 2025, WHO Cuba country profile, CUBACEL / ETECSA
Last reviewed: March 2026 by ViscaCare