Tips
Health |
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The Cape Verde Islands dispose
of a relatively well-functioning health system
in comparison to most African nations, even if
it is still worlds apart from the standards of
European health systems. The predominantly dry
climate and the hygienic conditions present in
the country, especially in the hotel and restaurant
businesses, lead to a much lower amount of health
risks than on the African continent.
Nonetheless, a visitor should
be health insured for his/her own good during
his/her stay here and at least observe the basic
hygienic regulations. Most important among these
is to wash your hands several times a day, and
to only consume well cooked foods and boiled,
germ-free drinking water.
The most common "travel diseases" are
caused by stomach infections and are thus more
unpleasant should heavy diarrhoea and the general
nausea occur, disrupting the planned vacation
days.
When travelling to the Cape Verde Islands, no
obligatory shots are required. Voluntary shot
recommendations for travellers who will come into
fairly heavy contact with the local population
are: tetanus, polio, typhus and cholera as well
as for hepatitis A and B. Due to the minimal risks
and the absolutely irrelevant occurrence of malaria-related
diseases, a malaria prophylaxis is not required
or necessary.
The health care is based on small health centres
with a 24 hour per day stand-by duty, as well
as a private doctor practices, whose education
usually has come in Portugal or other European
countries. In smaller areas, the "posto sanitario"
must be sought out. Technically relatively good
hospitals with operation rooms are only located
on Santo Antão, São Vicente and
Santiago.
For a trouble-free trip, we recommend that you
bring a small first-aid kit.
Everything related to "health and emergencies"
is detailed in the travel manual "Cape Verde"
of the Cape Verdean Islands (author Dr. Pitt Reitmaier
and Lucete Fortes - Reise Know-How Verlag, Peter
Rump GmbH) or in the Internet at: www.bela-vista.net/sicherheit.htm |
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