Colombia
Health & Medical Emergencies
Last verified August 15, 2026
Written for U.S. passport holders
Emergency Numbers
- Dial 123, Colombia's Número Único de Seguridad y Emergencias, for ambulance, police, fire, or rescue, a single free number covering the whole country, staffed 24/7.
- Dedicated direct lines also exist if you already know exactly what you need: 125 for medical emergencies specifically, 112 for police, and 119 for the fire department (Bomberos), but 123 is the simplest default.
- For U.S. consular emergency assistance (a detained or hospitalized American, coordinating care, notifying family), call the State Department's Overseas Citizens Services from anywhere in the world: +1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S. or Canada) or +1-202-501-4444 (from overseas). This is separate from the local emergency number and won't dispatch an ambulance itself, but it's the number that gets the U.S. government involved.
Getting Treated as a Foreigner
- The overwhelming majority of 123 operators work in Spanish; the U.S. Embassy has specifically noted that Colombian government offices rarely have multilingual staff on hand. The Tourist Police unit is more likely to have English speakers, for non-life-threatening situations where you have a moment to ask for them.
- Private hospitals (concentrated in Bogotá, Medellín, and other major cities) generally expect payment upfront or insurance verification for non-emergency care, and are typically the better option for a foreign tourist over the public system.
The Gotcha
Don't assume an English-speaking operator will pick up when you call 123; the U.S. Embassy is explicit that multilingual staff is the exception, not the norm, across Colombian government services generally. If you can, have someone Spanish-speaking nearby make the call, or at minimum have your location and the word 'ambulancia' ready before you dial.
Sources
This page was drafted from the primary sources below. Rules change, so check the linked page directly before relying on any of this.
- Línea única de emergencias Nacional 123 (Departamento Administrativo de la Función Pública, Colombia)
- Help Abroad (Overseas Citizens Services) (U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs)