Discover the City of Health in Guatemala

In Guatemala, very often the expats to be, wonder what kind of medical services they can get...

Well I have used several hospital for different reasons.. birth, kidney stones, brain tumors and I have always found services to be top of the line and very inexpensive comparing what I would have pay in the US for example.. Easily 4 times cheaper..

In Guatemala City you have what we call the avenue of the hospital, or the medical district  which is the diagonal 6 running in Zona 10. Along this avenue you find several well known hospital..

I have used Centro Medico for a friend of mine that had cancerous tumor in his brain. It was well attended, got quickly the test needed and the hospital was very efficient in communicating with his insurance to prepare is medical evacuation by air to Norway.
The hospital has also an heliport.
Website in Spanish only.

I have also used for the birth of my second daughter Hospital Esperanza on the same avenue. I have a special relation with this hospital because my French Medicare has a special agreement with the hospital allowing me to pay only a third of the bill.. My daughter was born in water and the doctor Jose Caballos and the hospital staff were very professional and accommodating.. This hospital is a university hospital. It has also an heliport. The birth costs around $ 2,000.00

Website only in Spanish

Now there are specials buildings in Guatemala called Clinicas where you find towers with all the field of medecine represented, a kind of centralized medical real estate. Most of them are for ambulatory medecine and you don't stay over night..   I have used the place for dermatology, knee ligament surgery.I have used Multi Medica in Zona 15 a couple of time.  Website in English. 

So for the ones that would like to have an insurance.. well being French I have my own from France

but you can find in Guatemala in the biggest bank insurance as they all have an insurance division. You can also contact Bupa . They have specials plans for Guatemala and it is international. 

One thing I would like to attract your attention is that Guatemala is becoming a strong destination for medical tourism.. and a big new project is coming out of ground in the outskirt of Guatemala ciudad, easy access from the airport. It will the mega health center of Central America.. A complex of building dedicated to health...  VittaCenter..

Taking from their website :" It is the largest project in Central America directed exclusively to the health sector and the first of its kind since 1973. It will have two buildings that house more than 200 medical clinics , hospital with a capacity of over 100 beds in private rooms, commercial, professional offices apartments and more than 1,500 parking units ." Check out their website it is pretty impressive.

So if you are thinking of relocating to Guatemala or to retire here be assured you will find the best medical facilities in case you need.. Now living here in my own experience because of the healthy life style you end up never going to the hospital...