The Ministry of Health of Panama is responsible for setting and managing health policy in the country. It is organized at the national level, including 14 health regions, and their respective local levels. The principal source of financing constitutes the budget for operation and investments with funds from the national general budget. The Ministry of Health is the regulatory entity of the National Health System (SNS) and, as such, it formulates policies and regulations and performs the health authority functions, in order to fulfill essential public health functions. The two financing entities of public medical services and public health are them MS MS and the CCSCSS, which carry out the supervision and control of financing in accordance with the current regulations in the country for public entities.

Health System Profile of Panama

The second edition of the Profile of Health Systems and Services of Panama was prepared by a group of thirty high-level professionals and political decision makers from the Ministry of Health , the Ministry of Economics and Finances, the Social Security Administration, Comptroller General of the Republic and the Pan American Health Organization. The Pan American Health Organization's office in Panama provided technical coordination for the national group. Contributions from professionals at the United Nations Fund for Population Activities for Children were also received. The external review was entrusted to the Faculty of Medicine, University of Panama, and to the School of Public Health at the Columbus University of Panama. Final review, edition, and translation are the responsibility of the Health Systems and Policies Unit, PAHO/WHO, Washington, DC.

Link to Panama Ministry of Health
Link to PAHO/WHO country office in Panama