Children's healthcare in Hungary: a short guide for visiting families
Where to turn in Hungary if your child needs a doctor: emergency numbers, out-of-hours care, children's departments and the papers to bring.
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This page is for families who are visiting or have just moved to Hungary and want to know where to turn if their child needs a doctor. It describes how the system works. It does not give medical advice, and Gyerekklinika is not a clinic itself.
Emergencies first
- 104: ambulance (mentők)
- 112: general emergency number, works from mobile phones too
- 105: fire brigade, 107: police
Call an ambulance if your child has trouble breathing, cannot be woken, has a seizure, is badly injured or bleeding heavily, or if you suspect poisoning. If you are unsure, call anyway: the dispatcher will tell you what to do. Many dispatchers speak some English; say “child” (gyerek) and your address clearly.
Who is who
- Házi gyermekorvos: the family paediatrician. Every child living in Hungary is registered with one. They hold surgery hours (rendelési idő) on weekdays.
- Védőnő: the health visitor, a trained nurse who visits families with babies and young children.
- Orvosi ügyelet: the out-of-hours doctor service for evenings, nights, weekends and holidays. Larger towns have a separate children’s service (gyermekügyelet). The address differs from town to town; ask your hotel, landlord or a local pharmacy.
- Gyermekosztály / gyermekkórház: children’s department or children’s hospital. Specialist outpatient clinics (szakrendelés, ambulancia) usually need a referral (beutaló) from the family paediatrician.
Papers to bring
- your child’s passport or ID
- your health insurance documents. Since Hungary joined the European Union in May 2004, visitors from other member states can use the E111 form or the new European Health Insurance Card for necessary care
- any medical records, a list of medicines your child takes, and the vaccination record
Visitors from outside the EU should check their travel insurance before travelling, as they may be asked to pay for treatment.
In hospital
Under Hungarian law (Act CLIV of 1997 on health care), a parent may stay with their child in hospital and has the right to information about the child’s care. If you do not understand something, ask; in larger hospitals there is often someone who speaks English or German.
Pharmacies
Pharmacies are marked gyógyszertár or patika. In every town at least one is on duty at night (ügyeletes gyógyszertár); the address is usually posted on the door of the others.