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Panama president Martin Torrijos announced October 27, 2008 that Panama is taking a leadership role in Latin America in providing free vaccinations. Panama is inaugurating a program for vaccination against the leading cause of cancer of the cervix, the human papilloma virus. The vaccination against the human papilloma virus is recommended for 11 and 12 year old girls. If women up to age 26 have not been vaccinated it is also recommended for them.

Vaccination Recommendations

According the CDC website for HPV vaccination, “There is now a vaccine that prevents the types of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts. The vaccine, Gardasil®, is given in three shots over six-months. The vaccine is routinely recommended for 11 and 12 year old girls. It is also recommended for girls and women age 13 through 26 who have not yet been vaccinated or completed the vaccine series.”

Panama Vaccination Program for HPV

Panama plans to spend up to $50 Million USD in 2009 purchasing vaccines for human papilloma virus and improving the infrastructure needed in hospitals and clinics to provide for a widespread vaccination program.

Panama Public Health Programs

According to World Health Organization statistics for 2006 spends 7.3% of its gross domestic product on health care which amounts to $660 per person. Life expectancy at birth in Panama is 74 years for men and 79 years for women.

Panama has an active and successful vaccination program. According to the World Health Organization Panama’s population is more than 99.5% vaccinated against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, and polio as of 2006 figures. A primary measles vaccination has been given to 99.5% or more of children as of 2005 with the numbers for 2006 dropping off to 94%. Panama also vaccinates for hepatitis, yellow fever, and haemophilus (a cause of meningitis).

Panama has a national heath care system with office visits typically costing around three dollars. In addition Panama has physicians trained and certified in North America and Europe to who surgical cases and difficult diagnostic cases can be referred. These physicians also typically have private practices seeing foreigners and well to do Panamanians at rates above the national health care system but well below what a resident of the USA pays for health care.

In fact, because of the high quality of care and low cost seen in Panama medical tourism is a small industry here. Foreigners come here for elective procedures and receive care as good as in North America at half the cost or less. With the large numbers of uninsured in the USA the medical tourism industry has been growing in Panama.

Panama’s decision to add a new vaccine to its list and its decision to bear the cost is a tribute to this forward thinking country. Panama is in the midst of a multiyear economic expansion and through programs such as its public health system is sharing the wealth throughout its society.