Browse Honduras Daily Stories

A biomedical engineer analyzed the quantum resonance analyzer used at fraudulent clinics in Honduras and concluded the device operates randomly with no scientific basis, unable to diagnose disease from placing a hand on a sensor.

The Honduran Medical College says it cannot investigate fraudulent clinics run by Colombians giving false diagnoses unless the operators are licensed physicians, leaving enforcement to prosecutors and local authorities.

Honduras's National Toxicology Center has warned of dangerous levels of benzene in soft stress-relief toys called 'squishies' sold widely in the country, citing a UK alert about one brand that exceeded safe limits and noting children's heightened vulnerability to the carcinogenic chemical.

Honduras's Public Ministry has opened investigations into Medisan in San Pedro Sula and Nueva Med in Tegucigalpa, both accused of issuing false diagnoses to persuade patients to purchase expensive treatments, following a La Prensa inquiry that documented the clinics' practices.

A survey of nearly 5,500 Honduran children aged 9 to 17 found that one in five spends four to eight hours daily on social media, with psychologists cautioning that excessive device use contributes to attention problems, anxiety, and depression.

Honduras's nursing union (Aneeah) is demanding the Health Ministry halt staff layoffs and pay salaries owed since January, with other debts dating to 2022, and has suspended protests while awaiting a ministry meeting.

Anxiety among children under 14 in Honduras is increasing, with clinical psychologist Fanny Ordoñez noting it has become one of the most common reasons children aged 4–12 seek psychological care, often manifesting as stomach pain, sleep problems, excessive worry, or school avoidance.

Honduras's Health Ministry is requiring sanitary licenses for used-clothing retailers, barbershops, and beauty salons nationwide after complaints of allergic reactions, with business owners given just three days to comply.

Honduras's Social Security Institute reported reducing its surgical waiting list from over 6,000 to about 1,000 patients by opening operating rooms on weekends, particularly in the northern region, though officials say specialist shortages still limit capacity to meet demand.

An ASJ report found 46 operating rooms (30% of the public hospital network's 154 total) are out of service due to repairs, maintenance, or equipment shortages, worsening a surgical backlog that has grown to nearly 11,000 patients awaiting procedures.

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.

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.

A civil-society organization is calling for proceeds from the presidential aircraft's sale—over L137 million (about $5.5 million)—to be spent on medicines and hospital improvements to ease shortages in the public health system.

Honduras has one million measles vaccine doses available at over 1,800 health centers nationwide, but about 90,000 children under five remain unprotected, as authorities work to boost immunization rates amid a confirmed outbreak.

The UNICEF representative in Honduras said the country has one of the world's highest rates of adolescent pregnancy, with over 20,000 girls becoming pregnant annually, many under age 15—cases classified as sexual assault—and called for coordinated action through schools, families, and communities to address both prevention and victim support.

Honduras's nursing association is warning it will hold informational assemblies if the Health Ministry does not reinstate about 100 fired nurses, pay overdue benefits, and establish a promised technical committee to address grievances.

From late March through early May 2026, Honduras paid an average of L65,000 (about $2,600) per operation to private clinics to reduce a backlog of more than 13,700 patients waiting for surgery in public hospitals, spending nearly L10 million in the first eight weeks.

Starting June 25, Honduras will no longer require travelers departing the country to show proof of measles vaccination, though health officials continue to recommend the vaccine two weeks before travel given ongoing regional transmission.

Honduras has recorded 191 cases of human botfly infection in the first six months of 2026, with health authorities warning the pace may exceed last year's 300 total cases and noting three deaths already this year.

Honduras has recorded 175 confirmed cases of whooping cough and 14 deaths in 2026, a 53.5% increase over the same period last year, with most cases and deaths affecting infants and young children who have not completed their vaccination schedules.

President Asfura's government and the Medical College of Honduras agreed on a new salary scale, reinstatement of separated physicians, and improved benefits for health-sector workers, ending the physicians' nationwide informational assemblies.

The Medical College of Honduras and the Health Ministry are negotiating over physician demands including back pay and job security, with proposals now being reviewed by union members while doctors maintain informational assemblies at hospitals nationwide.

President Asfura announced agreements to pay 300 doctors owed salaries since December 2025 and formalize contracts for 87 physicians, with a June 30 deadline, following talks with the Medical College of Honduras.

Honduras's Health Secretariat has made measles vaccination mandatory for travelers heading to Guatemala, Mexico, the United States, or Canada, following confirmation of two recent imported cases; the country has recorded no domestic measles transmission since 1997.

Health Ministry data show 3,271 colon cancer cases were recorded in Honduras between 2015 and 2025, with 2025 marking the highest single-year total at 446 cases, as patients also face chronic shortages of drugs and supplies in public hospitals.