Honduras Health News

Honduras's health ministry is monitoring a nationwide increase in diarrheal and stomach infections in children and adults, with tests still under way to identify the cause, and urges hand hygiene and food safety precautions.

Roatán's new public hospital is running about 10% behind schedule but still on track for completion in early July 2027, after which services will transfer from the current facility over three to four months to ensure uninterrupted care.

Honduras's social security institute (IHSS) is letting Tegucigalpa patients book doctor appointments via WhatsApp by sending ID photos and medical referrals, eliminating in-person queues.

Honduras's Hospital Escuela reports treating 140 to 170 pregnant adolescents each month, about 70% from Tegucigalpa, prompting health officials to call for stronger prevention, sexual education, and support programs.

A doctor at Hospital del Sur in Choluteca defended the medical team's care after a newborn died, saying fetal monitoring showed no distress when the mother was evaluated on July 27 and the cause of death remains undetermined.

Honduras's medical association is calling on the Health Ministry to publicly detail how emergency-relief funds have been spent, including breakdowns of contracts, trust funds (fideicomisos), patient-selection criteria, and progress on reducing the surgical backlog.

Congressman Carlos Umaña, a physician, will introduce a motion to make vaccinations mandatory in Honduras, citing falling immunization rates below 70% and rising cases of whooping cough, measles, and dengue.

Hospital Santa Teresa de Comayagua's subdirector said the facility is maintaining scheduled surgeries and procedures despite a shortage of anesthetics.

A child hospitalized with severe burns from an explosion at an artisanal firecracker factory in Copán has been discharged after 26 days of treatment and multiple surgical procedures, continuing recovery as an outpatient.

Honduras has controlled an avian influenza outbreak in a commercial farm and is preparing technical documentation to resume poultry and egg exports to regional trading partners.

Hospital Mario Catarino Rivas in San Pedro Sula has reduced its surgical waiting list by 30% and reports 80% medication supply levels, though 655 patients still await surgery, mostly in urology, vascular and general surgery, and orthopedics.

Honduras is updating its integrated strategy for preventing and controlling dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and other vector-borne diseases through 2035, with Pan American Health Organization support, to strengthen surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, clinical care, vector management, and community response.

Former Health Minister José Manuel Matheu criticized the suspension of three hospitals under investigation for cost overruns, saying the projects should continue while authorities probe why costs allegedly ballooned from $79 million to $280 million.

Hospitals under construction in Choluteca, Colón, and Bay Islands, funded by international development banks, are on track to open in 2027, with Choluteca's regional facility 58% complete and expected to serve 159 beds in oncology and intensive care.

Honduras recorded 17 deaths from whooping cough through July 2026, more than double the eight deaths in all of 2025, with infants and young children bearing the brunt of the highly contagious bacterial infection.

Public hospitals across Honduras are canceling scheduled surgeries due to shortages of essential anesthetics like midazolam, fentanilo, and propofol, five months after Congress approved a health emergency declaration and a 500-million-lempira (about $20 million) trust fund to address the surgical backlog.

The Honduran Foundation for Children with Cancer plans to build a pediatric oncology clinic at the Southern Hospital in Choluteca, with Congressional backing, to allow southern-region children to receive treatment without traveling to Tegucigalpa.

Honduras has recorded 6,218 dengue cases nationwide through epidemiological week 29 (late July), according to the Health Ministry's surveillance unit.

Honduras's Health Ministry announced a major investment to upgrade Hospital Escuela in Tegucigalpa and Hospital Mario Catarino Rivas in San Pedro Sula, including new operating rooms, medical equipment, and specialized facilities for kidney transplants and other advanced procedures.

Honduras has confirmed 246 human screwworm infestations and three deaths — all adults over 70 with underlying conditions in Olancho and Francisco Morazán — prompting health authorities to intensify prevention efforts and urge prompt medical care for open wounds.

Six hospital projects show a split picture: facilities in Choluteca, Tocoa, and Bay Islands are 24–58% complete and funded by international development banks, while hospitals in Santa Bárbara, Ocotepeque, and Olancho face investigations, contract disputes, and budget shortfalls that threaten completion.

Analysis of 2024–2025 data shows Tegucigalpa residents face seasonal health threats: high air pollution and smoke in the dry season (first half of the year) drive respiratory cases, while declining temperatures in the rainy season (July–September) trigger a second surge in illness.

Honduras recorded more than 9,000 traffic accidents killing 1,150 people and injuring 1,891 through July 25, with motorcyclists accounting for 41% of all crashes, driven by a growing motorcycle fleet and reckless driving, the National Road and Transport Authority said.

A medical brigade in Juticalpa, Olancho provided care to approximately 6,200 patients in a single day.

Honduras has recorded 17 deaths from whooping cough so far in 2026, more than double the eight deaths in all of 2025, with infants and young children bearing the brunt of the outbreak, health authorities say.

Social Security patients are spending L3,000–L6,000 monthly (about $120–$240) out of pocket for medications and supplies due to treatment delays, with chronic and cancer patients most severely affected by administrative backlogs and supply shortages.

Honduras has confirmed 12 measles cases—six imported and six locally acquired—and health officials say they screen suspected cases daily, warning that one infected person can spread the virus to up to 18 others and urging continued vaccination.

The Agriculture Ministry's health agency (Senasa) is training veterinarians, importers, and customs agents on requirements and procedures for importing animal products and veterinary medicines to strengthen biosecurity and ensure compliance with import controls.

Health authorities in Atlántida are monitoring three people with suspected measles while laboratory tests are pending to confirm or rule out the disease, amid a broader national outbreak with 12 confirmed cases.

The Ciudad Mujer Mobile clinic arrives in Roatán on July 24–25 to provide free medical, psychological, and social services including screenings and dental care to women and children in the island municipality.