🇲🇴 Macau Healthcare Guide
Conde S Januario Hospital is Macau's main public facility and provides adequate emergency care, with the private Kiang Wu Hospital also well-established. English and Portuguese are spoken alongside Cantonese in Macau's hospitals, making it more linguistically accessible than mainland China — and for anything the local system can't handle, Hong Kong is just an hour away by ferry, so keeping your medication list with generic names saved and accessible in your bag covers you smoothly in either city.
Quick facts
- Emergency number: 112
- Healthcare system: mixed
- Average GP visit: $20 USD
- EHIC/GHIC accepted: No
- Language barrier: medium
Healthcare overview
Conde de São Januário Hospital is Macau’s main public facility, providing emergency and general care. Kiang Wu Hospital is the primary private option. Macau’s small size (33 km²) means all facilities are within 15 minutes. For specialist care beyond local capacity, Hong Kong is 55 minutes away by high-speed ferry and offers world-class hospitals. Public hospital emergency care is affordable (MOP 100–150 / $12–20).
Hong Kong proximity
Hong Kong’s specialist hospitals are 55 minutes away by TurboJet ferry. For complex or specialist needs, this is the practical referral route.
Affordable emergency care
Public hospital A&E in Macau charges MOP 100–150 per visit, making emergency access affordable for visitors.
Vaccinations
Recommended
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Typhoid
Prescriptions and pharmacies
Macau’s pharmacies follow Portuguese and Chinese pharmaceutical conventions, carrying both Western and traditional Chinese medications. Pharmacists typically speak Cantonese and some Portuguese; English is less common than in Hong Kong. Having your medication list accessible in Chinese helps pharmacists match from their mixed inventory.
Portuguese and Chinese conventions
Macau’s pharmaceutical landscape blends Portuguese regulations with Chinese medicine traditions. Pharmacists navigate both systems.
Tips for travellers
Macau covers routine medical needs but relies on Hong Kong for specialist care. Queen Mary Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital, and Hong Kong’s private specialists are all within an hour by ferry. Sharing your treatment plan with a Hong Kong specialist before you travel means your ferry crossing leads to a consultation rather than an intake appointment, saving both time and a repeat visit.
Pre-appointment record sharing
Hong Kong specialists can review your records before you arrive. Sharing in advance means your 55-minute ferry ride leads to treatment, not paperwork.