Top 20 Hospitals and Medical Centers in Palau

1. Belau National Hospital

Belau National Hospital is the main public hospital in Palau located in Koror. It serves as the primary healthcare facility for the nation and offers a wide range of medical services including emergency care, surgery, maternity services, and general medicine.

The hospital is equipped with basic diagnostic equipment and has a small intensive care unit. Popular treatments include wound care, infectious disease management, and basic surgical procedures. The hospital also coordinates medical evacuations for cases that require advanced care not available in Palau.

Specializations: Emergency medicine, general surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics, and infectious disease management.

2. Palau Community Health Center

The Palau Community Health Center in Koror provides comprehensive primary care services to the local population. It focuses on preventive care, chronic disease management, and basic health services.

This facility is particularly known for its diabetes management programs and maternal-child health services. The center also provides immunizations, health screenings, and family planning services. Many residents rely on this center for their routine healthcare needs.

Specializations: Primary care, chronic disease management, maternal-child health, and preventive medicine.

3. Emmaus Medical Clinic

Emmaus Medical Clinic is a private healthcare facility in Koror that offers general medical services with a focus on expatriates and visitors. The clinic provides outpatient care, minor surgical procedures, and diagnostic services.

The clinic is popular for its travel medicine services, including pre-travel consultations and vaccinations. It also provides occupational health services for local businesses and diving medical examinations for the many diving professionals in Palau.

Specializations: Travel medicine, occupational health, diving medicine, and general practice.

4. Airai Medical Clinic

Located in the state of Airai, this medical clinic serves the population of the second most populous state in Palau. It provides basic healthcare services and emergency first response for the area.

The clinic is particularly important for treating injuries and illnesses in the more rural areas of Palau. It handles cases of tropical infections, minor trauma, and provides prenatal care for local women who cannot easily travel to Koror for services.

Specializations: Rural medicine, emergency first response, tropical medicine, and basic primary care.

5. Palau Dental Clinic

The Palau Dental Clinic is the primary dental care facility in the nation, providing both preventive and restorative dental services. It serves both adults and children with a focus on community dental health.

This clinic is famous for its school dental programs and community outreach initiatives to improve oral health in Palau. Services include fillings, extractions, cleanings, and basic oral surgery. The clinic also provides dental health education to the community.

Specializations: General dentistry, pediatric dentistry, oral surgery, and community dental health.

6. Palau Behavioral Health

Palau Behavioral Health is the primary mental health facility in the country, providing counseling, psychiatric services, and substance abuse treatment. The center addresses the growing need for mental health services in the community.

The facility is known for its community-based approach to mental health, working closely with schools and local organizations. Popular services include crisis intervention, counseling for depression and anxiety, and programs addressing alcohol and drug abuse issues prevalent in the islands.

Specializations: Mental health counseling, psychiatric services, substance abuse treatment, and community mental health programs.

7. Peleliu Health Center

The Peleliu Health Center serves the residents of Peleliu State, providing essential medical services to this remote island. The center handles basic healthcare needs and emergency stabilization before transfer to Koror if needed.

This health center is particularly important for treating marine injuries (from fishing and diving) and managing chronic diseases in the local population. The small staff provides round-the-clock emergency care for the island’s residents and visitors.

Specializations: Remote medicine, emergency stabilization, marine injury treatment, and chronic disease management.

8. Angaur Health Clinic

Angaur Health Clinic serves the small population of Angaur State, the southernmost state of Palau. This basic health facility provides primary care and emergency first response for the island’s residents.

The clinic is staffed by a nurse practitioner and handles common illnesses, minor injuries, and basic maternal-child health services. For more serious cases, patients are transported to Koror. The clinic plays a vital role in health monitoring and disease prevention for the isolated community.

Specializations: Primary care for isolated communities, emergency first response, and preventive health services.

9. Ngarchelong Health Center

Ngarchelong Health Center serves the northernmost state of Palau, providing essential medical services to this rural area. The center focuses on primary care, maternal health, and treatment of common illnesses.

This facility is particularly important for elderly care in the community, as Ngarchelong has a higher proportion of older residents. The center also conducts regular outreach programs to remote villages within the state, bringing basic healthcare services to those who cannot travel easily.

Specializations: Rural healthcare, geriatric care, maternal-child health, and community outreach medicine.

10. Melekeok Health Center

Located in Palau’s capital state, Melekeok Health Center serves both local residents and government workers. The facility provides basic healthcare services and emergency care for the area.

The center is equipped to handle common illnesses, minor injuries, and provides important preventive health services. Given its location near many government offices, it also provides occupational health services for government employees.

Specializations: Primary care, occupational health for government workers, emergency first response, and preventive medicine.

11. Ngatpang Health Center

Ngatpang Health Center serves the residents of Ngatpang State, providing essential medical services in this central area of Babeldaob island. The center focuses on primary care and emergency stabilization.

This facility is particularly known for its management of diabetes and hypertension in the local population. The health center also provides important prenatal and postnatal care services for women in the community who may have difficulty traveling to Koror for services.

Specializations: Chronic disease management, maternal health, primary care, and emergency stabilization.

12. Aimeliik Health Center

Aimeliik Health Center provides healthcare services to the residents of Aimeliik State on Babeldaob island. The center handles basic medical needs and serves as an important first point of contact for healthcare in the area.

The facility is particularly focused on preventive health measures and health education in the community. Staff conduct regular screenings for common health issues in Palau such as diabetes, hypertension, and tropical diseases. The center also provides immunizations and child health services.

Specializations: Preventive medicine, health education, chronic disease screening, and pediatric care.

13. Kayangel Health Clinic

Kayangel Health Clinic serves the residents of Palau’s northernmost island state, Kayangel. This small clinic provides basic healthcare services to this remote atoll community.

The clinic is staffed by a nurse and handles common illnesses, minor injuries, and provides important preventive health services. For more serious cases, patients are transported by boat to Koror. The clinic plays a vital role in monitoring the health of this isolated community and providing emergency first response.

Specializations: Remote island medicine, emergency first response, preventive health, and basic primary care.

14. Koror State Health Clinic

Koror State Health Clinic provides additional healthcare services to complement Belau National Hospital in Palau’s most populous state. The clinic focuses on primary care and preventive services to reduce pressure on the main hospital.

This clinic is particularly known for its immunization programs and school health services. It also provides important screening services for chronic diseases and infectious diseases. The clinic plays a key role in public health surveillance and outbreak response in Koror State.

Specializations: Public health, immunization programs, school health services, and disease surveillance.

15. Sonsorol Health Clinic

Sonsorol Health Clinic serves the residents of the remote Southwest Islands of Palau, specifically the states of Sonsorol and Hatohobei. This basic health facility provides essential medical services to these extremely isolated communities.

The clinic is staffed by a health assistant and provides the only regular medical care available in these remote islands. Services focus on primary care, emergency first response, and preventive health measures. Serious cases require medical evacuation by boat or occasional patrol boat, which can take days to arrange.

Specializations: Extremely remote medicine, emergency stabilization, preventive health in isolated communities, and primary care.

16. Palau Eye Clinic

Palau Eye Clinic provides specialized eye care services to the population, addressing vision problems and eye diseases common in the Pacific islands. The clinic is staffed by visiting ophthalmologists and local eye care professionals.

The clinic is particularly known for its cataract surgeries and treatment of diabetic retinopathy, both significant health issues in Palau. Services include eye examinations, prescription glasses, treatment for eye infections, and surgical interventions when specialists are available.

Specializations: Ophthalmology, cataract surgery, diabetic eye care, and vision correction services.

17. Palau Physical Therapy Center

The Palau Physical Therapy Center provides rehabilitation services to patients recovering from injuries, surgeries, or managing chronic conditions. The center is the primary facility for physical therapy in the country.

This center is particularly known for its work with stroke rehabilitation and sports injuries. Therapists also work extensively with patients suffering from diabetes-related complications and mobility issues. The center plays an important role in helping patients regain function and improve quality of life.

Specializations: Physical rehabilitation, stroke recovery, sports medicine, and mobility therapy.

18. Palau Public Health Laboratory

The Palau Public Health Laboratory provides essential diagnostic services to support healthcare throughout the nation. While not a treatment facility, it plays a critical role in Palau’s healthcare system.

The laboratory is particularly important for disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and monitoring of public health threats. Services include microbiology testing, water quality analysis, and testing for communicable diseases. The lab has been instrumental in responding to disease outbreaks like dengue fever and COVID-19 in Palau.

Specializations: Diagnostic testing, disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and public health monitoring.

19. Palau Traditional Medicine Center

The Palau Traditional Medicine Center integrates traditional healing practices with modern healthcare. The center recognizes and preserves Palauan medicinal knowledge while working alongside conventional medicine.

This center is particularly known for its use of traditional herbal remedies and massage techniques. Services focus on chronic pain management, stress relief, and culturally appropriate approaches to health and wellness. The center works to document and preserve traditional Palauan healing knowledge while ensuring safe integration with modern healthcare.

Specializations: Traditional medicine, herbal remedies, cultural approaches to healing, and integrative medicine.

20. Palau Red Cross Health Services

The Palau Red Cross provides important health services including first aid training, disaster response, and community health programs. While not a hospital, it plays a vital role in Palau’s healthcare infrastructure.

The organization is particularly known for its first aid training programs and emergency response during natural disasters. Services include blood drives, health education, and support for vulnerable populations. The Red Cross often supplements government health services during emergencies and public health crises.

Specializations: First aid training, disaster response, health education, and emergency preparedness.