What should you know about healthcare and emergencies in Palau?
Emergency number
911
Police: 488-1622.
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: palaugov.pw, pbtrc.org
Good to know
Good to Know
- 911 works nationwide and is the simplest number to remember, but the direct police (488-1622) and fire/ambulance (488-1411) lines for Koror are also listed by the U.S. Embassy as alternatives if 911 doesn't connect.
- Belau National Hospital in Koror is the country's only hospital, and English is very widely spoken, so language is not usually a barrier when calling for help.
- There is no known dedicated official Palau safety/emergency smartphone app — save the numbers above directly in your phone before you arrive, since mobile signal and app store access can be inconsistent on outer islands.
- Belau National Hospital in Koror is the only hospital in the country with a real emergency room — if you have a medical emergency anywhere in Palau, this is where you'll end up, often after a long transfer if you're diving/on an outer island.
- For serious trauma or specialist care beyond what the hospital can handle, medevac to the Philippines, Guam, or Taiwan is standard practice — travel/dive insurance that explicitly covers medevac is strongly worth having here.
- Dial 911 for all emergencies in Palau; the hospital's dedicated ER line is 488-2558.
Direct Service Numbers
Police (Koror)
- Number
- 488-1622
Fire and Rescue / Ambulance (Koror)
- Number
- 488-1411
Belau National Hospital Emergency Room
- Number
- 488-2558
Private Medical Contact
- Name
- Belau Medical Clinic (Private)
Numbers
- 488-2687
- 488-2688
US Embassy Emergency Contact
- Note
- For U.S. citizens with emergencies; also useful as a fallback English-speaking contact
Numbers
- 680-750-8821
- 680-775-8721 (after hours)
Hospitals
Belau National Hospital
- Type
- Government-run national hospital (Ministry of Health & Human Services)
- Address
- P.O. Box 6027, Koror, Palau 96940
- Trauma Level Designation
- No formal tiered trauma-center level (e.g. ACS Level I–V) exists in Palau — that designation system is specific to the US and a few other jurisdictions and does not apply here. Belau National Hospital is the country's only hospital and serves as the sole national referral point for emergency and trauma care, including surgical wards for general and orthopedic surgery.
- Notes
- This is the only hospital in Palau with an emergency department and inpatient/surgical capability. Serious trauma cases beyond its capacity (e.g. major neurosurgery, advanced cardiac care) are typically medevac'd overseas (commonly to the Philippines, Guam, or Taiwan).
Hours
- Emergency Room
- Open 24/7
- Ward Visiting Hours
- Daily 6:00pm–7:00pm
- Outpatient Department
- Monday–Friday, 7:30am–4:30pm (closed on legal holidays)
Phone
- Administration
- 488-2552
- Emergency Room
- 488-2558
Belau Medical Clinic
- Type
- Private outpatient clinic (not a hospital / no ER or trauma capability)
- Hours
- Not confirmed via primary source
- Address
- P.O. Box 822, Koror, Palau 96940
- Trauma Level Designation
- Not applicable — outpatient clinic only, no emergency room or trauma capability
- Notes
- Listed by the U.S. Embassy as a private medical option in Koror, but this is a clinic, not a hospital-level ER/trauma facility.
Phone
- Main
- 488-2687 / 488-2688
Primary Facility
- Name
- Belau National Hospital (BNH)
- Type
- public
- Contact
- (680) 767-2552
- Location
- Koror
- Description
- Only full-service public hospital in Palau; designed to American standards; provides comprehensive medical, surgical, and emergency care as main referral center for entire nation
Services
- 24/7 emergency care
- General medicine and surgery
- Pediatrics and obstetrics
- Radiology and laboratory
- Dental services
- Pharmacy
- Neonatal and adult ICUs
- Operating theaters
Community Health Centers
- Count
- 8
- Description
- Public community health centers distributed across main islands and outlying states providing primary and preventative care
Locations
- Koror Central CHC and Outpatient Department
- Central CHC II (Airai)
- Western CHC
- Eastern CHC
- Ngarchelong CHC
- Kayangel CHC
- Peleliu (Southern) CHC
- Angaur CHC
- Southwest Islands CHC
Official Safety Apps
- Found
- No
- Note
- No official Palau government-run emergency/safety mobile app could be verified via search. Travelers should rely on the 911 number and direct service lines above rather than an app.
Universal Emergency Number
- Number
- 911
- Description
- All Emergencies (police, fire, ambulance) — Palau uses a US-style 911 system that connects to national emergency dispatch.
Private Clinics
- Count
- 3
- Description
- Private medical clinics offering specialized services; two include on-site pharmacies, one provides ophthalmology
Key Considerations
Emergency treatment for serious conditions may require medical evacuation; specialty services (cardiology, orthopedics, pathology) are limited and some patients referred to Taiwan or Hawaii; telehealth partnerships with US military and international hospitals supplement local capacity; doctors and medical centers typically expect immediate cash payment
Pharmacies
- Availability
- Limited; concentrated in Koror with reduced access in rural areas
- Recommendations
- Bring all prescription and over-the-counter medications needed during stay from home country; verify with Palau's embassy or Ministry of Health regarding medication allowances and restrictions before arrival; particularly important for psychotropic or narcotic medications
- Quality And Regulation Concerns
- Pharmaceutical industry largely unregulated; risk of substandard or counterfeit medications; medical supply chains vulnerable to import delays and availability gaps
Sources
- Belau National Hospital pharmacy (dispenses basic medicines)
- 3 private medical clinics with on-site pharmacies
- 1 separate private pharmacy
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this emergencies research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Palau
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.