Salvador is spread over a wide, hilly city, and the unit closest to Barra or Rio Vermelho is not the one closest to Itapuã. Knowing which door to knock on saves the afternoon.
Where to go: the UPAs
Salvador runs a network of 24-hour urgent care units (UPA), open every day, with no appointment. The ones travellers are most likely to be near include:
- UPA Vale dos Barris — Avenida Vale dos Barris, Barris. The most central.
- UPA Dr. Hélio Machado — Rua da Cacimba, Itapuã, for the northern beaches.
- UPA Brotas — Campinas de Brotas.
- UPA Cidade Baixa / Santo Antônio — Roma.
They offer clinical and paediatric care, X-ray, ECG, laboratory tests and observation beds. You arrive without booking, and you are seen by clinical priority, not by order of arrival — which is why someone who came after you may go in first.
Yes, as a foreigner
The city's health department is explicit that the service is available to all, Brazilian or foreign. Emergency care in Brazil is provided to anyone, without documents and without payment. What is not guaranteed for non-residents is routine, non-urgent care — 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 Salvador.
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 Salvador
Can I use a UPA in Salvador as a tourist?
Yes. Urgent and emergency care is available to anyone in Brazil, foreign visitors included.
Do I need a CPF?
No, not for emergency care nor for a private or online consultation.
Why is someone seen before me?
UPAs work by clinical priority, assessed on arrival, rather than by queue order.
Will a pharmacy accept a digital prescription?
Yes, if it was issued by a Brazilian-licensed doctor and signed under Brazilian rules.
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 Salvador and need care today, you can book an online consultation in English and speak to a Brazilian-licensed doctor from wherever you are staying.