Ecuador's healthcare system is very highly regarded. It’s not uncommon to hear of ‘health tourists’ visiting the country for cheap, high quality treatment and many older expats are attracted here with this as one of their major motivations.
There are both public and private health options in Ecuador. The public health system didn’t have the best reputation until a 2008 overhaul under president Rafael Correa dramatically improved standards. The amount per capita spent on health has increased hugely in the past ten years, closing the health provision gap between rich and poor and improving quality significantly.
You can visit any public hospital without an appointment and be assured a consultation. The system is more reliable and accessible than it used to be. For more minor issues, there are hundreds of Centros de Salud all over Ecuador. The country’s Ministry of Public Health has a useful interactive map of hospitals and health centres around the country and the US embassy provides a list of hospitals . You can find English-speaking staff at public hospitals and clinics, though their level of English may not be as advanced as you may expect, so be patient.
Many expats prefer to use private healthcare institutions. While not free, they are cheap, especially for expats from western countries (prices for treatment can be as low as 10% of what you would pay in the US), and the quality is definitely higher than publicly provided services. Many private hospitals will have state-of-the-art equipment and employ English-speaking specialists in all areas.