Hospitals, emergency numbers and consulates in Rio de Janeiro

At a glance

Emergency numbers

• 192: ambulance (SAMU). The FCDO says: call 192 and ask for an ambulance.
• 190: military police. The FCDO lists “190 or 911”; Canada also says to dial 911.
• 193: fire brigade and rescue (Corpo de Bombeiros).
• 1746: Rio city hall service line, which helps you find a health unit.

24-hour private hospitals

These hospitals state on their official websites that the emergency department (pronto-socorro) works 24 hours a day. Private hospitals ask for proof of insurance or payment, as the FCDO and Canada point out.

São Lucas Copacabana is the only hospital we checked that mentions foreign travel insurance on its own site (it does not name insurers). The Rede D’Or emergency pages say no appointment is needed.

Pharmacies and prescriptions

Antibiotics are sold only on prescription. Under ANVISA rule RDC 20/2011, a prescription for antimicrobial drugs is valid for 10 days from the date it is issued, anywhere in Brazil, and the pharmacy keeps it.

Public care: UPA, CER and emergency hospitals

Brazil’s Ministry of Health describes the SUS as universal access to health services. In Rio the city runs three levels:

• UPA 24h: urgent care for less serious cases, open 24 hours every day. The ministry lists examples such as fever above 39°C, cuts and fractures with light bleeding, strong chest pain, severe shortness of breath or kidney stone pain. The UPA stabilises the patient and sends them to a hospital if needed.
• CER (Centro de Emergência Regional): 24 hours, next to a large emergency hospital. In the centre, Zona Sul and Barra the city names CER Centro, CER Leblon, CER Barra da Tijuca and UPA Botafogo.
• Emergency hospitals: the most serious cases, trauma and surgery. The FCDO and US lists give Hospital Municipal Miguel Couto (Rua Mário Ribeiro, 117), Souza Aguiar (Praça da República, 111, Centro) and Lourenço Jorge (Av. Ayrton Senna, 2000, Barra da Tijuca).

Every unit sorts patients by urgency: the most serious cases go first, whatever the order of arrival. Canada warns that public hospitals can be crowded, with long waits, and that most doctors there do not speak English.

Official doctor lists from consulates

Consulates do not recommend providers, but their lists are a reliable starting point:

• United States: “Medical Assistance - Rio de Janeiro Consular District” (PDF, uploaded June 2026), hospitals, doctors and dentists. Link in sources.
• United Kingdom: “List of medical facilities/practitioners in Brazil” (updated 19 March 2025), 19 facilities in Rio. Some staff speak English.
• Germany: list of English- and German-speaking doctors and dentists by city, with languages marked.
• Switzerland: Consulate General in Rio, doctors list dated 22 March 2024.

Travel insurance: what the authorities advise

None of the US, UK, Canadian, Australian or French travel pages lists insurance as a condition of entry to Brazil. All of them advise taking it:

• US State Department: check that your policy works abroad; “We strongly recommend supplemental insurance to cover medical evacuation.”
• FCDO: cover for local treatment and emergency evacuation; contact your insurer quickly if you are referred to a hospital.
• Canada: insurance that includes medical evacuation and hospital stays.
• Smartraveller: comprehensive travel insurance covering all medical costs, including evacuation.
• France Diplomatie: cover for medical costs and medical repatriation, with a minimum of 30,000 euros.

The US consulate notes that Brazilian clinics expect payment at the time of the appointment, so keep your insurer’s emergency line handy.

Consulates in Rio de Janeiro

Not on this list? Check your foreign ministry’s page for Brazil: we only list addresses we could confirm on an official site.

If your passport or phone is stolen

Passport

1. File a police report (Boletim de Ocorrência). The US Embassy says it is needed for insurance and to replace your Brazilian entry stamp with the immigration service. The Polícia Civil offers online pre-registration through Delegacia Online.
2. Contact your consulate for an emergency or new passport. US citizens, for example, fill in form DS-64 and book an urgent appointment.
3. The FCDO adds that you can take a domestic flight to reach a consulate with a valid photo ID or the police report, and advises carrying a copy of your passport.

Phone

1. Ask your mobile operator to block the line and the handset. Anatel says that once the IMEI is in the national blocked list, the phone stops working on Brazilian networks. Dial *#06# now to note your IMEI.
2. Use android.com/find or icloud.com/find to lock or erase the device, as Anatel recommends.
3. Block your bank cards yourself, as the US State Department reminds.
4. Brazil’s Celular Seguro app only works for Brazilian numbers registered to the owner’s CPF, so it will not help with a foreign SIM.

How we help

When something goes wrong on a trip we arranged, you are not alone with it. A private driver can take you to the hospital or the consulate, and a guide who speaks your language can stay with you at the police station or the hospital desk. We help with the paperwork order and with calls to your hotel. For ongoing support, see on-trip assistance.

What to tell us in your request

• Your dates and where you are staying in Rio
• Who is travelling, with children’s ages
• Your language
• Whether you want a driver on call, a guide who can interpret, or both
• Any medical needs we should plan around (only what you want to share)

Message us on WhatsApp first: it is the fastest way to reach us.