Natal is an easy city to enjoy and a confusing one to fall ill in, because the serious cases and the small ones go to different places. Here is the short version.
Where serious cases go
The reference for emergencies in Rio Grande do Norte is the Hospital Monsenhor Walfredo Gurgel, together with its emergency department, the Pronto-Socorro Dr. Clóvis Sarinho. It is the largest public health unit in the state and the reference for trauma and road accidents, with emergency, medical, surgical and paediatric services and a stabilisation room.
That is where an ambulance takes you after a call to 192, and where you go for anything severe.
For smaller urgent problems
A fever, an infection, a wound that needs stitches — these do not need a large hospital emergency department, and going there means waiting behind every serious case. Public urgent care units and health posts across the city handle them faster, and staff at your accommodation will know the nearest one.
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. Carry your passport, and a written list of your medicines with generic names and your allergies.
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 Natal.
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 Natal
Will a public hospital treat me as a tourist?
Yes. Emergency care in Brazil is provided to anyone, regardless of nationality or documents.
Where do ambulances take you?
Serious cases in Natal are referred to the Walfredo Gurgel complex and its emergency department.
Do I need a CPF?
No, not for emergency care nor for a private or online consultation.
Can I get a prescription online?
Yes. A prescription issued by a Brazilian-licensed doctor is valid at pharmacies across the country.
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 Natal and need care today, you can book an online consultation in English and speak to a Brazilian-licensed doctor from wherever you are staying.