Food and water
The traveller's
commonest health
complaint is a stomach
upset, usually caused by
contaminated food or
water . Tap water is
unsafe to drink in
Ecuador; bottled water
(so long as the seal is
intact) and soft drinks,
widely available in all
but...
read more >>
Insect-borne diseases
At the beginning of
2000, heavy rains
triggered a sharp
increase in insect-borne
diseases in Ecuador,
particularly malaria and
dengue fever in the
coastal provinces. By
far the best way of
avoiding such diseases
is not to get bitten in
the...
read more >>
Altitude sickness and
hypothermia
If you've flown to Quito
from sea level, you may
feel a bit woozy,
sleepless and lethargic
- mild symptoms of
altitude sickness (
soroche ), a
debilitating and
potentially dangerous
condition caused by the
reduced oxygen levels
that...
read more >>
Sun
It's not a good idea to
strip off and soak up
the rays of the
equatorial sun. Serious
sunburn and sunstroke
are real risks,
particularly at altitude,
when the temperature is
not necessarily that
high but the thin air
amplifies the harm done
by the sun's ultraviolet
rays. Jungle and coastal
boat rides can also be
dangerous, as cool river
or sea breezes disguise
the effects of the sun
as it is reflected off
the water. Use a high-factor
sunscreen (factor
fifteen and above) on
all exposed skin,
reapplying after bathing,
and wear a wide-brimmed
hat. Well-known brands
of high-factor sun
creams are available in
pharmacies, particularly
in large towns and
tourist centres, more or
less at Western prices;
some combine sun block
with insect repellent.
Drink plenty of water,
particularly if you're
exercising, and consider
taking a rehydration
solution or adding more
salt to your food to
counterbalance the
effects of excessive
sweating
Other health hazards
HIV and AIDS (SIDA, in
Spanish) are not as
widespread in Ecuador as
in certain other parts
of South America, but
they are on the
increase, with around
20,000 Ecuadorians
having contracted HIV.
Unprotected sex is the
most common form of
transmission....
read more >>
A traveller's
first-aid kit
Among items you might
want to carry with you -
especially if you're
planning to go trekking
- are:
Antiseptic cream
Moisturizing cream
Anti-fungal cream
Hydrocortisone cream
(Eurax) is good for
insect bites and skin
irritations
Insect repellent
Plasters/band aids
Compeed -
particularly good
against blisters
Scissors, lint,
sealed bandages and
surgical tape
Knee supports
A course of Flagyl
and Ciprofloxacin
Imodium/Lomotil for
emergency diarrhoea
treatment
Paracetamol/aspirin
Multivitamin and
mineral tablets
Rehydration sachets
Sunscreen, lip salve,
calamine lotion and
sunglasses
Water sterilization
tablets or water
purifier
Sterilized syringes
and skin wipe
Medical resources for
travellers
For up-to-the-minute
health information, make
an appointment at a
travel clinic .
These clinics also sell
travel accessories,
including mosquito nets
and first-aid kits.
British Airways
Travel Clinic , 156
Regent St, London W1
(tel 020/7439 9584; no
appointment needed),
plus 28 regional clinics
(ring 01276/685040 or
visit
www.britishairways.com
for your nearest branch)
providing vaccinations
and a complete range of
travel healthcare
products and advice.
Centers for
Disease Control and
Prevention ,
www.cdc.gov/travel .
Detailed accounts of
many diseases, plus
general travel-health
advice.
Hospital for
Tropical Diseases Travel
Clinic , 2nd floor,
Mortimer Market Centre,
off Capper St, London
WC1E 6AU (tel 020/7388
9600; a consultation
costs £15, which is
waived if you have your
injections here). A
recorded health line
(tel 0839/337733; 50p
per min) gives hints on
hygiene and illness
prevention as well as
listing appropriate
immunizations; they can
fax you information too,
which is cheaper.
Malaria Helpline
tel 0891/600350 (60p per
min). 24hr recorded
message.
MASTA (Medical
Advisory Service for
Travellers Abroad) ,
London School of Hygiene
and Tropical Medicine.
Prerecorded 24hr
travellers' health line
(tel 0906/822 4100, 60p
per min;
www.masta.org ),
giving written
information tailored to
your journey by return
of post. The Web site
has practical tips on
staying healthy abroad,
plus rundowns on
diseases.
Nomad Pharmacy
, 40 Bernard St, London
WC1; 3-4 Turnpike Lane,
London N8 (tel 020/7833
4114 for vaccination
appointments). Free
advice to personal
callers, or ring their
telephone helpline (tel
0891/633414; 60p per min).
Trailfinders ,
194 Kensington High St,
London (tel 020/7938
3999; no appointment
needed). Immunization
clinic.
Hospitals and
pharmacies
As a general rule, the
larger a city is, the
better its medical
care is likely to
be. In Quito and
Guayaquil, English-speaking
doctors trained overseas
are relatively easy to
find; your embassy
should have a list of
recommended practices.
Standards deteriorate
the further you go from
the cities, particularly
in remote rural regions.
If you have a choice,
private hospitals and
practices are invariably
better staffed and
equipped than their
state-managed
counterparts. Make sure
you have adequate health
insurance and remember
to obtain itemized
receipts after treatment
so you can recover your
costs. Carrying a credit
card is a good idea in
case you need to make
large payments for
treatment up front.
You'll find
pharmacies in almost
all Ecuadorian towns.
They're invariably
stocked with a wide
range of familiar drugs
and medicines, which can
be bought without a
prescription; if you're
likely to need to buy
medication, make a note
of its generic name, as
brand names may be
different (women taking
oral contraceptives
are better off bringing
their own supply from
home). For many locals,
pharmacists act as no-cost,
stand-in doctors, but
their advice should be
taken with a pinch of
salt: there's no
substitute for lab tests
and a trained
practitioner's opinion.
If you see a turno sign,
it means that there's a
night shift and the
pharmacy is open 24
hours, more common in
the large cities.
