On this page
This policy explains which cookies and similar technologies are used by the Ministerio de Sanidad e Infraestructuras Sanitarias portal (guineasalud.com) of the Ministry of Health and Health Infrastructure of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, what they are for and how you can control them. It complements the Privacy policy.
1. Summary
- We do not use analytics, advertising or social media cookies. We do not track your browsing or build profiles.
- We only use essential technical storage so that things you have asked for work: remembering the light or dark theme, not showing again an alert you have hidden, using the portal offline and receiving alerts.
- The only actual cookie is the management panel session cookie, and only Ministry staff who sign in receive it.
- That is why we don't show a cookie consent banner: this storage is necessary for the service you request and does not require consent. If we ever add cookies that do require consent, we will ask for your permission first and update this policy.
2. What are cookies and similar technologies?
A cookie is a small file that a website stores in your browser, which the browser sends back to the server on each visit. There are also similar technologies that store information on your device:
- Local storage (localStorage): keeps preferences even after you close the browser.
- Session storage (sessionStorage): cleared when you close the tab.
- Service worker cache (Cache Storage): copies of pages and images so you can use the portal offline.
Unlike cookies, the information in this storage is not sent to the server. It stays on your device.
3. Cookies and storage we use
3.1. For everyone who visits the portal
| Name | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
gs-theme | Local storage (first party) | Remembers whether you chose the light or dark theme. Only created if you change the theme manually. | Until you choose "Automatic" again or clear the site's data. |
gs-dismissed-alert:… | Session storage (first party) | Remembers that you hid the red banner of a critical alert, so it isn't shown again during that visit. It reappears if the alert is updated. | Until you close the tab. |
gs-v3-… | Service worker cache (first party) | Stores the portal's layout, visited pages (up to 80) and their images (up to 150), so you can check alerts, hospitals and emergencies offline. | Refreshed automatically with each portal version; the oldest entries are removed automatically. |
| Notification subscription | Browser data (first party) | Only if you turn on alerts: the browser stores the subscription that lets you receive them. See the Privacy policy. | Until you turn off alerts or withdraw the permission. |
3.2. Ministry staff only (management panel)
| Name | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
gs_session | First-party technical cookie (HttpOnly, Secure, SameSite=Lax) | Keeps you securely signed in to the management panel. Page code cannot read it and it is not shared with third parties. | 8 hours, or until you sign out. |
gs-post-draft:… | Local storage (first party) | Autosaves a copy of a post draft so work isn't lost if the browser closes. | Until the post is saved or the draft is discarded. |
3.3. Browser permissions
Some features need your explicit permission. The browser itself manages it, and you can withdraw it at any time:
- Notifications: to receive health alerts.
- Location: for the "Near me" feature of the hospital directory. Your position is used only on your device and is not stored.
4. Third-party services
The portal sets no third-party cookies when its pages load. Some features do, however, connect to external services:
- OpenStreetMap maps: when you view a map, your browser downloads the images directly from OpenStreetMap's servers, which receive your IP address. We do not ask them to store anything on your device.
- YouTube videos: shown in privacy-enhanced mode (youtube-nocookie.com). YouTube stores nothing on your device until you press play; from then on, Google's policy applies.
- Share buttons (WhatsApp, Facebook, X) and "Directions" (Google Maps): plain links. They load nothing until you tap them; after that, the policy of the service you open applies.
5. How to control and delete this data
5.1. From the portal itself
- Theme: choose "Automatic" with the theme button and
gs-themeis deleted. - Alerts: open "Turn on alerts" and tap "Turn off alerts". The subscription is deleted from your device and from our server.
- Management panel: signing out removes the
gs_sessioncookie.
5.2. From your browser
You can delete, or block, all the data the portal has stored on your device. Here is how in the most common browsers:
- Chrome (desktop and Android): click the icon to the left of the address → "Site settings" → "Clear data".
- Safari (iPhone and iPad): Settings → Safari → Advanced → Website Data → find the site → Delete.
- Safari (Mac): Safari → Settings → Privacy → Manage Website Data.
- Firefox: click the padlock in the address bar → "Clear cookies and site data".
- Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies and site data.
If you installed the app on your home screen, uninstalling it also deletes its data.
If you block or delete this data, the portal still works. You only lose your theme preference and offline access until your next visit, and you stop receiving alerts if you delete the subscription.
6. Changes to this policy
If we change the cookies or technologies the portal uses, we will update this page and its update date. If we ever add cookies that require your consent, such as audience measurement, we will ask you before setting them.
7. Contact
For any question about this policy, email contacto@guineasalud.com.