Canary Islands - Health

Canaries Health for Visitors

See Spain Health for details.

As an EU region, the Canary Islands have a healthcare system that is comparable to the rest of the EU. When visiting the Canary Islands, all EU residents are eligible to access state healthcare at a reduced cost, or sometimes for free when they present their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

All of the islands have public health clinics and hospitals that provide emergency services 24 hours a day. Several pharmacies are open 24 hours a day or have pharmacists on standby to handle emergencies.

Private healthcare is also widely available. Upfront payment may be required.

Ensure that your travel insurance covers hospital stays and medical evacuation.

Vaccine-Preventable Diseases:

Make sure your routine vaccinations are up to date.

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for unvaccinated travelers of all ages traveling to the Canary Islands.

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for other vaccinations recommended for the Canary Islands.

Food and Water Concerns:

Water supply in the Canary Islands is based on desalination and all public tap water is safe to drink unless local authorities state otherwise. If you are unsure, ask: “¿Es potable el agua (de grifo)?” (Is the (tap) water drinkable?). You may prefer to purchase (agua mineral), bottled water. (Agua con gas) is fizzy water and (agua sin gas) is still water.

Ciguatera food poisoning (CFP) outbreaks were reported in Spain (Canary Islands).

Prescription Drugs:

Pharmacies are generally widely available in the Canary Islands. Medicines can only be purchased in pharmacies, including over-the-counter medications. A prescription is required to purchase most medicines, like antibiotics and prescription drugs.

Emergency Numbers:
See Emergencies.

Useful links:

• Government of Canary Islands
• Ministry of Health - Spain

Last updated:  September 2024