Safety & Health

HEALTH

Regional Health Tips
No matter where you go you don't want to get sick, especially with something that will affect you for the rest of your life. There are some simple things that you can, and should, do to aid in the prevention of this happening. Don't drink water unless it's boiled, don't pet animals (wild or domestic), and avoid insect bites using as many methods as you know.

Vaccines
No vaccinations are required for entry but getting vaccinated before you arrive is extremely important.

Coast
It is particularly important to take care with drinking water and eating seafood along the coast, as there is a risk of cholera as well as foreign (to you) bacteria. You should check with the Ecuadorian Consulate or with you embassy to see if where you're going is a high-risk area. If so anti-malarials, although they have horrible side effects might be a good idea, but check with a physician to see if you are able to handle them. Dengue fever can also be problems making it a good ideal to have good personal insect repellent (like pleany of vitamin B) and to cover up with long clothes in the evenings.

Rainforest
Here there also runs a risk of Malaria, so, like the coast, alway check if the place you are heading is a high risk area. If not it's usually not nesecary to take anti-malarials, especially if you're just going for a few days. With cholera it's pretty much the same idea, make sure you know what the epidemic status is before you go. The malaria that exists in the Ecuadorian Amazon is cloroquil resistant, and so the weekly tablet, Larium, is the best choice normally, if you run the risk of being exposed to malaria by living with a family, or if it becomes epidemic. Yellow fever injections are worth while, as is an anti-tetanus booster. Injections against hepatitis should also be up to date.

Andes
Generally, you're pretty safe as far as tropical diseases go, seeing as though the Andes aren't very tropical. The thing that gets most people here is the bacteria that they're not used to. These bacterias are usually carried in water, which makes it a really good idea to always boil water before you drink it. Another thing to remember is that, because you are at a higher altitude, water take less time to boil, so you have to let it boil for at least 5 minutes for it to be affective. Another carrier of bacterias is in unwashed hands, so try to avoid street vendor's food, especially in the first week or two of your arrival.

Altitude Sickness
Ecuador is home to some of the highest volcanoes and mountain peaks in the world. Quito, Ecuador's capital, is nestled in a long narrow valley between the lush hilly base of the Volcano Pichincha to the west and the precipitous canyon of the river Machángara to the east, and sits at 9,500 feet, (3,000m). Someone flying to Quito from New York City, for example, experiences an elevation change of nearly two miles in a little more than 6 hours. Abrupt changes in elevation such as this sometimes have ill effects on travelers.

Altitude sickness usually manifests itself in insomnia, headaches, and/or nausea. To prevent altitude sickness, or to at least stave off some of its effects, ascend gradually to provide your body with time to adjust to the change.  Obviously, if you are flying into Quito this will be impossible.  In the event that you do experience symptoms of altitude sickness, in most cases, they can be remedied by drinking lots of water, getting lots of rest, and taking aspirin.  If you are more than a little fatigued or if you experience mild headaches, taking DIAMOX is an option. DIAMOX is a drug that increases oxygen profusion. You can buy DIAMOX, or its equivalent, in most major cities. If you forget to bring your DIAMOX it is readily available in Quito pharmacies. If you experience severe headaches or respiratory problems (including acute shortness of breath) consult a doctor immediately.  One final note with respect to altitude, use sunblock.  You may feel cool while high in the Andes, but because of the altitude – you are much closer to the sun – the risk of sunburn is greater.  Use a sunblock level rated at least 15 SPF.

Medical Care
Good medical care is available in Quito and Guayaquil, where many of the bilingual doctors were trained in North America or Europe. The British, German and American embassies have a list of excellent multi-lingual doctors. If you visit an embassy recommended doctor, expect primary care equal to what you would receive at home. However, if you are unable to see an embassy-recommended doctor or medical professional, be aware that the care you receive can vary from excellent to incompetent, especially in small towns.

Hospitals
Recommended hospitals in Quito:

• Hospital Metropolitano: Mariana de Jesus and Avenida Occidental;
  Ph: 431-520
• Hospital Voz Andes: Villalengua 267;
  Ph: 241-540

Pharmacies
Pharmacies in major cities carry a wide range of over-the-counter drugs, antibiotics, and treatments, some of which are only available on a prescription basis in North America or Europe. Pharmacies are open regular business hours, and the Quito-based El Comercio newspaper publishes a list (on Saturday) of pharmacies which are open after hours. In Quito, you can find a number of pharmacies open 24-hours a day, as they operate on a rotation system - look out for an illuminated "Turno" sign outside. The pharmacy on 6 de Deciembre and San Ignacio (near Supermaxi) is recommended and is open 24-hours a day.

If you consult a local pharmacist, exercise caution as they may recommend a mountain of drugs to cure an illness that they are only guessing you have. Many tropical and parasitic diseases have similar symptoms, but can be precisely diagnosed only by lab tests and a doctor's visit. Additionally, a wide variety of drugs that are available in Ecuador have not been approved in the U.S. and or Europe, and for good reason: many could cause side-affects as serious as your initial ailment. Once again an embassy-approved doctor can steer you away from such drugs. The above warning aside and with the exception of very rare prescription medications, you can buy a wide variety of safe pharmaceutical goods once in Ecuador, particularly in the larger cities.