Medical Emergency Resources for Expats in Todos Santos, Baja California Sur

Before an Emergency

Keep this page saved on your phone. Knowing who to call and where to go saves critical time.

Key things to know:

• 911 works everywhere in Mexico and connects to police, fire and ambulance dispatch
• Todos Santos has a 24-hour emergency room in town at Saint Jude's / St. Luke's Medical Center, for stabilization
• For anything serious, the nearest full hospitals are in La Paz (about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, 82 km) or Cabo San Lucas (about 1 hour)
• La Paz's main hospital, Hospital Juan María de Salvatierra, is public. Baja California Sur joined IMSS-Bienestar, and Salvatierra became an IMSS-Bienestar specialty hospital in October 2025. People without Mexican social security can use it.
• If you can safely get there, having someone drive you to the emergency room is often faster than waiting for an ambulance
• Emergency rooms must stabilize you, but private hospitals will usually ask for a deposit, a credit card or an insurance guarantee before admitting you. Carry a card and your policy number.

Emergency Numbers

• 911 — police, fire, ambulance
• Saint Jude's / St. Luke's Medical Center, Todos Santos (24-hour ER): 612 145 0600
• Cruz Roja (Red Cross) ambulance, fire and police: call 911

Todos Santos and La Paz numbers start with 612.

Hospitals & Clinics

In Todos Santos

• Saint Jude's / St. Luke's Medical Center — Colegio Militar, between Márquez de León and Hidalgo. 24-hour emergency room for stabilization. Tel. 612 145 0600.
• Centro de Salud Todos Santos — the public health centre, at Degollado and Juárez.

La Paz (about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes)

• Hospital Juan María de Salvatierra — Paseo de los Deportistas 5115, Col. 8 de Octubre. The main public hospital, now an IMSS-Bienestar specialty hospital, with emergency room, intensive care, a cardiac (haemodynamics) unit and surgery. Free or low-cost; limited English. Ambulances usually take serious cases here.
• Hospital Fidepaz — Delfines 110, Fidepaz. Private hospital with 24-hour emergency; English spoken; takes insurance. Tel. 612 124 0400.
• H+ La Paz — Av. Pez Vela at the Carretera Transpeninsular, opposite Fidepaz. Private hospital with 24-hour emergency.
• IMSS members (people with Mexican social security through work) use the IMSS hospital in La Paz.

Cabo San Lucas (about 1 hour)

• Hospiten Cabo San Lucas — Carretera Transpeninsular Km 0.5. Private hospital with a 24-hour emergency room; takes international insurance. Tel. 624 145 6000.

English-Speaking Doctors

Todos Santos has few English-speaking doctors, and many work part-time or seasonally. Ask for current recommendations:

• Recent residents in the local expat Facebook groups (search "doctor" or "médico")
• Your landlord or property manager
• The private hospitals in La Paz and Cabo San Lucas

Medical Translation

• Private hospitals in La Paz and Cabo may have bilingual staff. Public hospitals generally do not offer interpreters, so bring someone who speaks Spanish if you can.
• Local expat groups can often find a volunteer to come with you to an appointment; ask a day or two ahead when you can
• Download Google Translate's Spanish pack for offline use BEFORE you need it. The camera mode reads forms and medicine labels.
• Useful phrases: "Necesito un médico" (I need a doctor), "Me duele aquí" (It hurts here), "Soy alérgico/a a…" (I'm allergic to…), "Tengo seguro médico" (I have medical insurance)

In-Home Care

Nursing care at home is limited in Todos Santos. Pharmacies can often refer a home-visit nurse; this is common practice in Mexico. More services, including post-surgical care and medical equipment, are available in La Paz. Ask for current rates, including travel, when you book.

Air Evacuation

• La Paz International Airport (LAP) is the nearest airport, about 1¼ hours (88 km) from Todos Santos
• Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) is about 1½ hours (110 km) away
• SkyMed and MedjetAssist are the evacuation memberships most used by expats in Mexico. Ask which airport your plan would use.
• Many travel insurance policies include evacuation, but read the fine print: it often needs pre-authorization, which can take time

Prevention

• Register with your embassy: US citizens use STEP (mytravel.state.gov/s/step), Canadians use ROCA
• Carry a wallet card in Spanish with your blood type, allergies, medications, emergency contacts and insurance details
• Save this guide on your phone for offline access
• Make sure your phone works in Mexico, or get a local SIM
• Consider seeing a local doctor before you need one, so your records are on file