Initial Resumes from Foreign Doctors have Been Received Due to a Shortage of Specialists: CSS is Seeking Foreign Doctors

2026-03-23 - 16:43

Dino Mon pictured above, director of the CSS, warns of a shortage of medical specialists in Panama and confirms the first applications from foreigners to fill positions. The first five resumes of foreign doctors interested in filling specialist positions in the country have been received. Mon warned that Panama faces a serious problem with healthcare coverage, especially in remote areas. “This is a serious problem for the State, and the corresponding changes must be made,” he stated. He explained that there are multiple unfilled vacancies, mainly in provinces such as Bocas del Toro and other regions in the interior of the country. Option: Foreign Doctors He said that some doctors trained with state support prefer to pay their financial obligations rather than relocate to their assigned areas. Given this situation, the CSS is considering applying Law 89 of 2013, which allows hiring foreign specialists with the authorization of the Ministry of Health. Mon also indicated that legal adjustments are needed to streamline hiring processes and make national health coverage more effective. “We need to see what’s happening and how the call for applications is being perceived abroad,” he pointed out.