Ulvia and I own a condo in Salinas, Ecuador, and we spend part of every year here. Healthcare is one of the first practical questions people ask. For everyday care I go to a private clinic nearby, I pay cash, and I carry Ecuadorian private health insurance.
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This page is how I handle routine care on the peninsula, what I would do in an emergency, and how I think about paying for it. It is not medical advice, and it is not insurance advice.
If you are still on the road from Guayaquil, start with Arriving in Salinas, Ecuador. Groceries, getting around, and the first-month checklist are in Your first 30 days in Salinas, Ecuador. Housing is in Renting a condo in Salinas, Ecuador.
If something is urgent
For any emergency in Ecuador, call 911. It is the official national number for police, fire, and ambulance. The Servicio Integrado de Seguridad ECU 911 says the call is free, it can be made from a landline or a mobile phone, and the line is staffed 24 hours a day, every day of the year, anywhere in the country. Ecuadorians and foreigners can use it. Say what the emergency is, give your exact location, and name a nearby landmark a driver can find.
Do not travel or drive at night if you can avoid it. That is the same rule Ulvia and I try to follow on the drive in from Guayaquil. If you can wait until daylight to go to a clinic, or to the city for more specialized care, that is what I would try to do.
Save 911 in your phone when you arrive, along with your lodging address in Spanish.
Where I go for routine care
For routine care, I use Clínica Granados, a private clinic in Ciudadela Santa Paula, on Calle 5ta E between Avenida 14 and Avenida 18. The clinic’s own site, hospitalgranados.med.ec, lists it as Hospital Granados and posts the same address. The published phone number is (04) 277-5576, with emergencies at extension 101. The site lists the emergency service as available 24 hours a day, and it also posts outpatient hours. Confirm those hours before you go, because they can change.
It is the private clinic I use in Salinas, Ecuador. I am not telling you which doctor to see, or whether this clinic is the right one for you. This is not medical advice.
The public hospital in Salinas
Salinas also has a public hospital, Hospital Básico José Garcés, operated through the Ministry of Public Health. The Ministry describes it as a second-level hospital that handles general surgery, trauma, gynecological procedures, and emergency work for people in the canton. I mention it so you know it is there. For routine care, I use the private clinic.
If you need care, ask a local professional and follow the people who are treating you. I cannot tell you which facility is right for you.
Paying for care
I pay cash at private clinics. I also carry Ecuadorian private health insurance, which is often called medicina prepagada. In Ecuador, the companies that finance those prepaid health plans are regulated by the Superintendencia de Compañías, Valores y Seguros. I am not quoting premiums, deductibles, or waiting periods, and I am not describing what any particular plan covers, because plans differ and this is not insurance advice.
Bring a way to pay. Keep some U.S. cash in small bills for a clinic visit, and ask the front desk whether they also take a card. I will not invent a typical bill, because charges depend on the visit.
If you already have coverage from home, read the policy before you travel and ask the company what it will and will not do in Ecuador. Never assume a clinic or a hospital will bill your insurer the way a U.S. hospital might.
I want to be clear about my own role. I am a licensed insurance agent in the United States, but I do not sell Ecuadorian health insurance. Nothing on this page is an offer, a comparison, or a recommendation of a policy, and it is not a promise that any plan will pay a claim.
IESS, and why I do not use it
People sometimes ask about IESS, the Instituto Ecuatoriano de Seguridad Social, which is Ecuador’s social-security health system.
Official IESS pages say a foreigner living in Ecuador may be able to join voluntarily if they have an Ecuadorian cédula de identidad, or a refugee card issued here, are at least 18, and do not have unpaid obligations to IESS. A visa can be part of obtaining that identity card, but the requirement I have seen on the IESS site is the document itself. Rules change, so if this matters to you, check the current IESS requirements and, when you need it, talk with a qualified professional. I am only pointing to what the official pages say.
I do not use IESS, even though some visa holders may be able to join. I do not feel that it is the right thing for me to do. My feeling is that IESS is meant for Ecuadorians. That is a personal choice, not a rule, and it is not advice about your own situation.
When care is more specialized
Serious medical issues are best handled in Guayaquil, Quito, or Cuenca. If you have time, the best option may be to go back to the United States. Guayaquil is the closest, about two hours away by car. I described that drive in Arriving in Salinas, Ecuador. If you can make that trip in daylight, I would.
For serious or specialized care in Guayaquil, Hospital Clínica Kennedy — also called Grupo Hospitalario Kennedy — is my pick. I had cataract surgery on my left eye with Dr. José Francisco Rivera at Clínica Kennedy in Guayaquil. Excellent physician and excellent care.
Kennedy has two hospital campuses, and its own site says each one has an emergency service and a trauma unit. One campus is in Ciudadela Kennedy, at Avenida del Periodista and Callejón 11-A. The other is in Samborondón, at kilometer 1.5 on the road to La Puntilla. Both appear on the U.S. Consulate General in Guayaquil's May 2026 hospital list. The group's site lists insurer convenios and an SGS ISO 9001 certification whose published scope includes the emergency service. I have not seen a Joint Commission International accreditation for a hospital in Guayaquil. Hospital Metropolitano in Quito states that it is the only JCI-accredited hospital in Ecuador.
Guayaquil has other solid private hospitals. Interhospital is on Avenida del Bombero, kilometer 6.5, on the Vía a la Costa — the road you use coming in from Salinas — and its site lists a 24-hour emergency department. Hospital Alcívar, at Coronel 2301 and Azuay, publishes a 24-hour emergency service and an international-patients page. Omni Hospital, on Avenida Juan Tanca Marengo at Calle 13E NE, is also on the Consulate list. Hospital Luis Vernaza, downtown at Loja and Escobedo, is the large nonprofit hospital of the Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil. Inclusion on a consular list is not an endorsement, and this is not medical advice.
Sometimes there is no time to travel. When my wife needed an emergency appendectomy, we had no choice but to go to a local clinic. She received excellent care at Granados Hospital. I highly recommend it for an emergency.
If you might need the trip to Guayaquil, write down the hospital name and address before you need them, and think about how you would get there in daylight.
Dental care on the peninsula
For dental care on the peninsula, I highly recommend Dr. Moncayo. His office is in the nice two-story building near the entrance to the La Milena subdivision. He studied in Brazil and has the latest equipment. Excellent in all respects. His practice is Moncayo Dental Ateliê, on Av. Carlos Espinoza Larrea in Salinas. You can reach the office on WhatsApp at +593 99 012 5530.
Pharmacies
Pharmacies are easy to find in Salinas and La Libertad. Common national chains in Ecuador include Fybeca, Pharmacys, and Cruz Azul. I mention them as chains you will see around the country, not as a personal recommendation.
I usually use Fybeca.
Bring a copy of your prescriptions and a small supply of any medicine you cannot easily replace. Ask the pharmacist whether a local prescription is needed for a refill. I will not invent whether a given medicine is in stock, or whether the rules here match the ones at home.
If you are visiting, look at travel medical insurance
If you are coming to Salinas, Ecuador, for a short stay, it is worth looking at travel medical insurance before you leave home, including whether a policy would help with a hospital bill or a medical evacuation. I am not telling you which company to use, and I am not promising that any policy will cover a particular visit or a flight home. Read the policy. This is not insurance advice.
One option to compare is SafetyWing Nomad Insurance, a travel medical policy for people staying abroad. Check its limits, exclusions, and age and trip-length rules before you buy.
If you use a link on this page and later buy a policy, a commission may be earned. It does not cost you extra, and a commission is not a promise about coverage or about the quality of any company. You are always free to buy directly, without using a link here.
FAQ
What should I do in a medical emergency in Salinas, Ecuador?
Call 911, give your exact location and a nearby landmark, and follow local emergency staff. If you can avoid driving at night, wait until daylight. This is not medical advice.
Where do you go for routine care?
I use Clínica Granados, a private clinic in Ciudadela Santa Paula, on Calle 5ta E between Avenida 14 and Avenida 18. I pay cash there.
Do you use IESS?
No. Official pages say some foreign residents may be able to join if they have the right identity documents, but I do not use IESS. My feeling is that it is meant for Ecuadorians. That is a personal choice, not a rule.
How do you pay for care?
I pay cash at private clinics, and I carry Ecuadorian private health insurance, or medicina prepagada. I am not quoting prices or premiums, and this is not insurance advice.
Where would someone go for more serious care?
Serious issues are best handled in Guayaquil, Quito, or Cuenca, or back in the United States if you have time. For planned specialized care in Guayaquil, Clínica Kennedy is my pick. I had cataract surgery on my left eye there with Dr. Rivera. In a true emergency, Granados Hospital in Salinas gave my wife excellent care for an emergency appendectomy.
What about dental care on the peninsula?
I highly recommend Dr. Moncayo. His office is in the nice two-story building near the entrance to the La Milena subdivision. He studied in Brazil and has the latest equipment. Excellent in all respects.
What about pharmacies?
Pharmacies are easy to find in Salinas and La Libertad. Fybeca, Pharmacys, and Cruz Azul are common national chains. Fybeca is the one I use. Bring a copy of your prescriptions.
Sources
Servicio Integrado de Seguridad ECU 911, official emergency line (free, 24/7, nationwide, from a landline or mobile phone; Ecuadorians and foreigners): https://www.gob.ec/ecu-911/tramites/solicitud-atencion-emergencia-traves-diferentes-mecanismos-alerta
Servicio Integrado de Seguridad ECU 911, institutional page (single number 9-1-1, free, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, from any landline or mobile phone): https://www.ecu911.gob.ec/servicio-integrado-de-seguridad-ecu-911/
Clínica Granados (Hospital Granados), contact page (Calle 5ta E / Av. 14 y 18, Cdla. Santa Paula, Salinas, Santa Elena; phone (04) 277-5576; emergencies ext. 101; emergency service listed 24 hours): https://hospitalgranados.med.ec/contacto/
Clínica Granados (Hospital Granados), home page (address and emergency line): https://hospitalgranados.med.ec/
Ecuador Ministry of Public Health, Hospital Básico José Garcés in Salinas (second-level public hospital; general surgery, trauma, gynecological procedures, and emergency work): https://www.salud.gob.ec/gobierno-del-presidente-noboa-invierte-mas-de-usd-209-mil-destinados-a-modernizar-el-area-quirurgica-del-hospital-jose-garces-en-salinas/
IESS, voluntary affiliation for Ecuadorians and foreigners living in Ecuador (cédula de identidad or refugee card issued in Ecuador; no outstanding IESS obligations): https://www.iess.gob.ec/es/web/afiliacion-voluntaria/ecuatorianos-y-extranjeros-dentro-del-ecuador1
IESS, affiliation frequently asked questions (voluntary affiliation requirements for foreigners in Ecuador, including cédula de identidad or refugee card, age 18 or older, and no outstanding obligations): https://www.iess.gob.ec/es/preguntas-frecuentes-afiliacion
- Ley Orgánica que Regula a las Compañías que Financien Servicios de Atención Integral de Salud Prepagada y a las de Seguros que Oferten Cobertura de Seguros de Asistencia Médica, official text hosted by gob.ec (object and regulation of prepaid health companies): https://www.gob.ec/sites/default/files/regulations/2020-03/Documento_LEY-ORGANICA-COMPANIAS-SALUD-PREPAGADA-ASISTENCIA-MEDICA.pdf
- National Assembly of Ecuador, notice that the prepaid-medicine law was published in Registro Oficial Supplement 863 on October 17, 2016: https://www.asambleanacional.gob.ec/es/noticia/46435-ley-de-medicina-prepagada-entro-en-vigencia
- Grupo Hospitalario Kennedy (Hospital Clínica Kennedy), home page (campuses; insurer convenios; SGS ISO 9001 certification whose published scope includes the emergency service): https://hospikennedy.med.ec/
- Grupo Hospitalario Kennedy, contact page (Av. del Periodista y Callejón 11-A, N.O. Kennedy, Guayaquil; Samborondón campus at Km 1 ½ vía La Puntilla): https://hospikennedy.med.ec/contacto
- Grupo Hospitalario Kennedy, emergency page (emergency service and trauma unit at each of the two hospital campuses): https://hospikennedy.med.ec/emergencia
- U.S. Consulate General Guayaquil, List of Hospitals and Medical Providers for the Guayaquil Consular District, updated May 2026 (Clínica Kennedy campuses, Omnihospital at Av. Juan Tanca Marengo, Calle 13E NE, Interhospital, Hospital Alcívar, Hospital Luis Vernaza, and others; list is not an endorsement): https://ec.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/167/2026/05/Hospital-and-Medical-Provider-List-GYQ-2026-01.pdf
- Interhospital, home and contact pages (Av. del Bombero km 6.5, Vía a la Costa; hospital open 24/7; emergency, laboratory, and pharmacy listed 24 hours; (04) 375-0000): https://interhospital.com.ec/ and https://interhospital.com.ec/contactanos
- Interhospital, "Nosotros" page (quality commitment that cites ISO 9001:2015): https://interhospital.com.ec/nosotros
- Hospital Alcívar, location page (Coronel 2301 y Azuay, Guayaquil): https://hospitalalcivar.com/quienes-somos/ubicacion/
- Hospital Alcívar, ambulance and emergency page (emergency service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year): https://hospitalalcivar.com/servicio/trauma-uno/
- Hospital Alcívar, International Patients page: https://hospitalalcivar.com/informacion-al-paciente/international-patients/
- Hospital Luis Vernaza, Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil (nonprofit hospital; Loja No. 700 y Escobedo, Guayaquil): https://hospitalluisvernaza.jbg.med.ec/
- Hospital Metropolitano, Quito, certifications page (states it is the only hospital in Ecuador accredited by Joint Commission International, reaccredited for a fifth time): https://www.hospitalmetropolitano.org/es/certificaciones-acreditaciones-logros
- Centro de Diagnóstico Ocular, Dr. José Francisco Rivera Delgado (offices at Clínica Kennedy Policentro, sección Gamma, and Clínica Kennedy Samborondón, Torre Alfa; cataract surgery listed among services): https://www.cdo.com.ec/
- Fybeca, official pharmacy site and pharmacy locator: https://www.fybeca.com/ and https://www.fybeca.com/farmacias
- Pharmacys, official pharmacy site: https://www.pharmacys.com.ec/
- Farmacias Cruz Azul, official pharmacy site, and Grupo DIFARE page describing Cruz Azul and Pharmacys as national pharmacy chains: https://www.farmaciascruzazul.ec/ and https://difare.com.ec/farmacias
Superintendencia de Compañías, Valores y Seguros, registration of companies that finance prepaid comprehensive health-care services (medicina prepagada): https://www.gob.ec/scvs/tramites/registro-companias-financien-servicios-atencion-integral-salud-prepagada