This page is about health on the ground: dengue, pharmacies, emergency numbers, heat and altitude. How EPS / prepagada insurance and afiliación work is separate: Healthcare (system). Salons, spas, and aesthetic doctors (injectables): Beauty and wellness.
Pharmacies and over-the-counter
Chains like Cruz Verde, Locatel, Farmatodo, Colsubsidio (where available) - handy for foreigners: often delivery and online ordering. The pharmacist (químico farmacéutico) can suggest an equivalent by active ingredient: paracetamol = acetaminofén, ibuprofen = ibuprofeno.
Antibiotics and many stronger drugs need a doctor’s prescription. Don’t haul a huge “just in case” stash through customs without documents; a normal travel kit is usually fine.
For remote work, keep at home: paracetamol, oral rehydration (Pedialyte / suero oral), antihistamine, bandages, repellent, SPF. In the heat (Cali, the Caribbean) - see tips in Cali.
If you get dengue
Drink plenty of fluids. In Colombia, drinks like Pedialyte help maintain hydration. Rest.
Medication: paracetamol (Acetaminofén) - 500–1000 mg every 6–8 hours, no more than 3000 mg per day; lowers fever and pain. Ibuprofen (Ibuprofeno) eases pain and inflammation, but if dengue is suspected it’s better to avoid it so you don’t worsen blood clotting.
Not recommended: aspirin with dengue - raises bleeding risk. Antibiotics don’t help a viral fever.
When to see a doctor: fever above 39°C for more than 48 hours; severe weakness, vomiting, rash, or bleeding; persistent bone pain, especially if you were recently in dengue-prone areas.
Where to get help: pharmacies (droguerías); if it worsens - nearest clínica / IPS. With EPS - through your network (Sura, Compensar, Sanitas, etc.); without insurance - private clinic or urgencias. System overview: EPS and prepagada.
Prevention: repellent (DEET / icaridin), nets, don’t leave standing water on the balcony. Risk is higher on the coast and in lowlands (Cartagena, parts of Valle) than in elevated Medellín.
Dengue vs. cold/flu: how to tell
Dengue spreads through Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquito bites, not through the air. Colds and flu are respiratory viruses spread by coughing, sneezing, and contact with surfaces.
With dengue - sudden high fever (39–40°C), strong bone and muscle pain, headache behind the eyes, often nausea and vomiting, rash often after 3–4 days; cold symptoms are usually absent. With a cold/flu - moderate or high fever (37.5–39°C), milder aches, cough and runny nose present, nausea and rash rare.
Dengue treatment: paracetamol and rehydration; aspirin and ibuprofen are contraindicated; severe cases need hospitalization. Colds/flu: fever reducers, nasal drops, cough medicine; antibiotics only for bacterial complications.
Altitude and heat
Emergency services
Single number: 123. Police: 112. Ambulance: 125. Fire: 119.
Give your address / barrio and symptoms. If you have prepagada or international insurance - keep the assistance number in your phone.
Emergency phone numbers - Colombia. Hospitals in Colombia - overview.