Emergencies in Cartagena

Good to Know

• 123 is free to call from any phone (mobile or landline, with or without credit) and works the same way in Cartagena as anywhere else in Colombia — save it in your phone before you need it.
• If you don't speak Spanish, having a simple phrase ready (your location, nearest landmark, and what's happening) helps a lot, since English-speaking dispatchers/officers are not guaranteed.
• The 123App's alert/panic button only works if you've already registered in person with local police beforehand — it's worth doing early in a longer stay rather than assuming it'll work on day one.
• For non-urgent theft or lost-document reports, ADenunciar lets you file online, but expect at least a 24-hour wait; for anything urgent, go straight to the nearest CAI (small police post) instead.
• For serious trauma, most nomads and expats in Cartagena are directed toward Hospital Serena del Mar or the Hospital Universitario del Caribe as the two facilities with the most robust emergency/critical-care infrastructure in the city.
• Public hospitals like Hospital Universitario del Caribe operate on Colombia's EPS insurance system — foreigners without local insurance may face longer waits or be asked about payment method at triage; private hospitals like Serena del Mar generally expect proof of insurance coverage or direct payment.
• Bocagrande and Castillogrande (where several of these facilities sit) are within the main tourist/nomad zone, but always confirm current operating status by phone before an emergency, since hours and service availability can shift.