Manaus is where most Amazon trips begin and end, which makes it the place to sort out anything medical before you go upriver, not after. It also has a local quirk worth knowing.
In Manaus, look for an SPA
Elsewhere in Brazil the 24-hour urgent care unit is called a UPA. In Manaus most of them are SPAs — Serviços de Pronto Atendimento. Searching for "UPA" will make you miss the nearest one.
The state network includes nine SPAs and UPAs, open 24 hours, for sudden illness, minor injuries, fever and similar problems. Among them:
- SPA Joventina Dias — Compensa III
- SPA Zona Sul — Colônia Oliveira Machado
- UPA José Rodrigues — Cidade Nova
- UPA Campos Sales — Avenida Dona Otília 649, Tarumã
Before you go upriver
Once you leave the city, medical care is hours away by boat. Two practical habits make the difference: carry enough medication for the whole trip in its original packaging, and settle anything unresolved while you are still in Manaus. A consultation before departure is worth more than any pharmacy you will not find.
If your itinerary includes forest areas, ask a doctor about yellow fever vaccination — it needs 10 days to protect, so it is a decision for before the trip, not during it.
As a foreigner
Emergency care in Brazil is provided to anyone, without documents and without payment. Routine care is not guaranteed for non-residents, and English-speaking staff are uncommon.
When an online consultation is faster
For what travellers actually get — a stomach bug, a urinary or sinus infection, a skin reaction, or medication that ran out — a video consultation with a doctor licensed in Brazil is usually quicker than going anywhere in Manaus.
You speak in your own language, from wherever you are staying, and no Brazilian CPF or local phone number is needed. The prescription is valid at pharmacies across the country. If you want the wider picture, read our guide on how healthcare works for foreigners in Brazil.
If a pharmacy turned you away: antibiotics require a prescription in Brazil, and one written by your doctor at home is not valid here. More in how to get a prescription or medicine in Brazil.
Emergency numbers
- 192 — SAMU, emergency medical service
- 193 — fire brigade and rescue
- 190 — police
For chest pain, difficulty breathing, a serious injury or any life-threatening symptom, call 192 or go to a pronto-socorro immediately. Do not wait for an online appointment and do not drive yourself.
Frequently asked questions about seeing a doctor in Manaus
What is an SPA?
A Serviço de Pronto Atendimento — the 24-hour urgent care unit, the Manaus equivalent of a UPA elsewhere in Brazil.
Can I be treated as a tourist?
Yes. Urgent and emergency care is available to anyone in Brazil.
What if I am already on a river trip?
An online consultation works wherever you have a signal, and can tell you whether you need to return to the city.
Do I need the yellow fever vaccine?
It is recommended for areas where the virus circulates and must be given at least ten days before travel. It is not required to enter Brazil.
This article is general information and does not replace an individual medical assessment. Reviewed by Dr. Marcelo Rafael Lujan, physician registered with CRM-SC 42.900. Under Brazilian telehealth law, a prescription issued in an online consultation is valid nationwide and the doctor need only be registered with the medical council of their own state.
If you are in Manaus and need care today, you can book an online consultation in English and speak to a Brazilian-licensed doctor from wherever you are staying.