Porto de Galinhas is a beach village in the municipality of Ipojuca, small enough to walk and busy enough to fill up completely in season. The good news for a visitor: it has its own 24-hour urgent care unit, right there.
Where to go
The UPA Porto de Galinhas — Enfermeiro João José de Lima, on the PE-009, is open 24 hours a day, every day, and care is free and for all ages. It handles general urgency and emergency care, collection of samples and imaging.
You do not need an appointment, and you do not need to be a resident of Ipojuca. Emergency care in Brazil is provided to anyone, foreign visitors included, without documents and without payment.
What a reef holiday sends to the clinic
The natural pools are the whole point of the trip and also the source of the most common problems: cuts from coral and rocks, sunburn from a long swim, dehydration, and stomach upsets. Small wounds from reef contact deserve to be seen rather than shrugged off — they infect more easily than a cut at home.
As a foreigner
Routine, non-urgent care is not guaranteed for non-residents, and English-speaking staff are uncommon outside hotels. 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, sunburn, or medication that ran out — a video consultation with a doctor licensed in Brazil is usually quicker than going anywhere in Porto de Galinhas.
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. More context in 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. See 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 the nearest emergency service immediately. Do not wait for an online appointment and do not drive yourself.
Frequently asked questions about seeing a doctor in Porto de Galinhas
Is there a 24-hour service in the village?
Yes. The UPA Porto de Galinhas is open around the clock, and care is free.
Do I need to be a resident?
No. Urgent and emergency care in Brazil is available to anyone, including foreign visitors.
Should I have a coral cut looked at?
Yes. Wounds from reef contact infect more readily and are worth assessing early.
Do I need a CPF?
No, not for emergency care nor for a private or online consultation.
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.
If you are in Porto de Galinhas and need care today, you can book an online consultation in English and speak to a Brazilian-licensed doctor from wherever you are staying.