Jump to content

Global Audiology/Americas/Panama

Add links
From Wikiversity

target=_blank target=_blank

Shortcut:
GA
HomeAfricaAmericasAsiaEuropeOceaniaHow to edit
ArgentinaBahamasBelizeBrazilBoliviaCanadaChileCosta RicaEl SalvadorGuatemalaMexicoNicaraguaPanamaPeruUruguayUnited States of America


General Information

Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country located at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the south. Spanish is the official language. Native languages, such as Ngäbere, are spoken throughout the country, mostly in their native territories.

History of Audiology

In Panama, audiology services are provided by fonoaudiologist (practicioners that study both speech and hearing sciences). The first training program for fonoadiologist was established in 1999 the Universidad Especializada de las Americas (UDELAS) in Panama City, Panama. The program was founded by Dr. Samuel Herrera, who served as its first director and later as the vice-dean of the Faculty of Specialized Health and Rehabilitation at UDELAS. Before this time professionals seeking to provide audiology services had to study abroad. As of 2025, there are several hundred fonoaudiogist practicing in the country and UDELAS remains to only bachelors program in the country offering training in audiology. No graduate level audiology specific training is available.

Incidence and Prevalence of Hearing Loss

Specific data on incidence of hearing loss in Panama is limited by underdiagnosis of hearing loss due to lack of access in rural areas and lack of research into the subject.

Information About Audiology

Hearing Care Service Delivery:

Government hospitals Federal health clinics and hospitals provide a full range of audiology services with some surgical/medical treatment depending on facility and doctor availability. These facilities can be further divided into the national social security healthcare system and MINSA hospitals which serve separate populations. While service availability is high in these facilities, access to care is limited by insurance status and location as most are only located in metropolitan regions such as Panama City, Colon, and Citre.

Private Clinics Private sector, for pay practices provide testing and hearing aid dispensing. These are located particularly in the capital and other major expat regions.

NGO Outreach International programs and humanitarian foundations occasionally provide health services to rural areas of Panama providing basic testing and hearing aid fittings.

Deaf education: The Escuela Nacional de Sordos (National School for the Deaf) a branch of the Instituto Panameño de Habilitación Especial (IPHE) was created in 1951 in the urban area of Panama City to teach Deaf children in Panamanian Sign Language. However, the majority of Deaf and hard of hearing children in Panama are integrated into mainstream classrooms with mainly an oral/aural approach to learning. Limited educational access to LSP interpretation has been available since 2008 as bilingual education (LSP/Spanish) is no longer offered in schools. (4) Other than LSP the Deaf community in the Chiriquí province is culturally and linguistically distinct from the rest of Panama using a variant of sign language, Chiriqui Sign Language (LSCH). (5)

Scope of Practice and Licensing

Professionals providing hearing care services:

  • Otololaryngologist in Panama medically treat ear disfunction to include surgery.
  • Fonoaudiologist in Panama access and diagnose and treat speech and hearing disorders.
  • Hearing aid dispensers: hearing evaluation and hearing aid fitting.

Audiological services

The extent of ear and hearing services available in Panama are based primarily on location. In the capital region there are many medical facilities where the full scope of ear and hearing service is available from newborn screening to cochlear implant surgeries. However, in the provinces outside of the major metro areas (Panama City, David, Chitre, etc), services are limited in both scope and access due to lack of certified providers and resources.

Education of professionals working in hearing care services

In Panama, audiology services are provided by fonoaudiologst (practicioners that study both speech and hearing sciences. The first training program for fonoadiologist was established in 1999 at the Universidad Especializada de las Americas (UDELAS) in Panama City, Panama. The program was founded by Dr. Samuel Herrera, who served as its first director and later as the vice-dean of the Faculty of Specialized Health and Rehabilitation at UDELAS. Before this time professionals seeking to provide audiology services had to study abroad. As of 2025 there are several hundred fonoaudiogist practicing in the country and UDELAS remains to only bachelors program in the country offering training in audiology. No graduate level audiology specific training is available.

Otolaryngology training in Panama is a multi-year postgraduate residency program following general medical school. Following completing mandatory social service candidates must enter into a 3-5 year residency program. The process is highly competitive, requiring proficiency in Spanish and, for foreigners, validation of foreign degrees through local universities or the Technical Health Council.

Professional and Regulatory Bodies

Licensing and professional organizations

The authorization of an otolaryngology and audiology licenses in Panama are granted by the Consejo Técnico de Salud (Technical Health Council), which operates under the Ministry of Health (MINSA). The ENT field is supported by the Panamanian Society of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (SPOCCC), which also facilitates continuing education.

Laws related to hearing care services

  • Law 1 signed on January 31st 1992 recognized LSP as an official native language of individuals with profound hearing disability.
  • In 2004 Article 19 of the constitutional reform prohibited the discrimination of persons with disabilities which included Deaf and hard of hearing.
  • The Social Inclusion Program for Persons with Disabilities in Panama (PN-L1160), approved on September 30, 2020, is a USD 40 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) aimed at strengthening inclusion through improved health, care, and social protection services. Implemented in partnership by MINSA and SENADIS, it focuses on early detection of disabilities, rehabilitation, and education. Through this initiative 12 health facilities across seven rural provinces and Indigenous regions were equipped to provide UNHS testing and 5 hospitals were equipped with resources to confirm and diagnose hearing loss. This program also funds the sourcing of hearing aids and cochlear implants for qualifying children.
  • In 2022 Panama Passed law 329 which mandated universal newborn hearing screening and guaranteed free testing in public health facilities. Despite this policy, challenges remain in access to treatment via hearing aids and cochlear implants, particularly for the more rural areas.
  • On November 22, 2023, legislation was passed creating the "Sign Language Reinforcement School Program" to improve educational access to LSP in schools. This legislation was spearheaded by the ANSPA (National Association of the Deaf in Panama.[1]

Ongoing audiology research

No information could be located in 2026.

Challenges, Opportunities and Notes

Challenges

By 2026 no information could be located directly addressing the specific challenges for hearing care in Panama. While no specific information was located, challenges are likely to include limited funding, lack of public awareness, and of qualified personnel for audiological services. These barriers are consistent with challenges from other countries in Latin America. [2] Thy are likely to include limited infrastructure and resources, uneven access to services, dependence on external support and lack of public awareness and low health literacy.

Opportunities

By inferring from regional information, opportunities involve training local personnel, telemedicine, and community-centered health services delivery approaches.

Audiology Charities

  • Fundación Pro Integración (FUNPROI): This is a key Panamanian non-profit that has worked for over 30 years to improve the quality of life for people with hearing loss or mobility issues, with a strong focus on children and adolescents in poverty. FUNPROI is one of the only institutions in the country with qualified pediatric audiology staff, providing free examinations, hearing aid fittings, and speech therapy.
  • Fundación Oir es Vivir: Founded in 2008, this foundation serves individuals with hearing loss who lack resources, focusing on early hearing detection in orphanages, schools, and daycare centers. They run "Hearing Health Tours" and provide screenings, diagnoses, and hearing aids, aiming to prevent long-term academic and social issues.
  • El despacho de la primera dama: the first lady of Panama has championed sensory loss as a target of her office. As part of this initiative, she has 2 mobile testing and treatment units that travel to rural areas and provide eye and ear services. Audiology services affiliated with this initiative include hearing screenings,diagnostic evaluations, and treatment/intervention referrals.

The philanthropic branches of major hearing aid manufacturers such as Starkey Hearing Foundation and Hearing the World Foundation (Sonova) have also supported ear hearing related charity programs/events in the country.

References

  1. ↑ Bar-Tzur, D. (n.d.). Deaf cultures and sign languages of the world: Panamá. The Interpreter’s Friend. https://theinterpretersfriend.com
  2. ↑ Bhutta, M F (2019-01). "Models of service delivery for ear and hearing care in remote or resource-constrained environments". The Journal of Laryngology & Otology 133 (1): 39–48. doi:10.1017/S0022215118002116. ISSN 0022-2151. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022215118002116/type/journal_article. 


External links



Contributor to the original text
Madison Saunders
Retrieved from "https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Global_Audiology/Americas/Panama&oldid=2805017"