Honduras
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Health & Medical
 
Health Notes


General Conditions
The central government coordinates the medical establishment. Facilities are not of a high standard but adequate for emergency use. Hotels have access to multilingual doctors and medical assistants. Medicines are in short supply. Fortunately, most illnesses are preventable either through vaccination, or by taking the necessary precautions against infection. Travelers should carry insurance, and long-term visitors should have a policy with evacuation services. All travelers should visit either a travel health clinic or their personal physician four to eight weeks before departure for regular vaccinations and any specific medications needed for travel.

Vaccinations

Required : yellow fever
Suggested : hepatitis A and B, typhoid, tetanus-diphtheria, measles, chickenpox

Immediate Concerns
  • Health risks
    Malaria, and travelers' diarrhea, and exposure to: HIV, Chagas disease, American trypanosomiasis, bartonellosis (Oroya fever), Venezuelan equine encephalitis, Eastern equine encephalitis, visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis, tick-borne relapsing fever, brucellosis, paragonimiasis (Oriental lung fluke)
  • Food and Water
    Do not drink tap water unless boiled or chemically treated, and avoid drinking anything with ice in it; avoid fruits and vegetables unless they can be peeled or are pre-cooked; and stay away from un-pasteurized dairy products, including ice cream. Do not eat raw or undercooked meat or fish, it may contain harmful poisons or parasites.
  • Insects
     Mosquitoes, ticks, and sand flies are a common cause of disease in Honduras. 


Medical Precautions
It is important for all travelers to bring medications for malaria and travelers' diarrhea, along with a personal medical kit complete with necessary medications, including syringes and a physician's letter documenting their medical usage. This kit should include extra pairs of contact lenses and glasses, as well as any specific medications for travelers' diarrhea, allergies, motion sickness, or other over-the-counter medication, as supplies are often limited and expensive.

Insect repellents are also recommended, in conjunction with other measures to prevent insect bites, such as protective clothing, bed-netting, and DEET-based repellent.  For additional protection, apply permethrin-containing compounds to clothing, shoes, and bed nets. Avoid contact with stray animals, especially farm animals. If bitten, clean wound thoroughly with soap and water, and seek medical attention immediately.

HIV/AIDS is present.  Use condoms for all sexual encounters, and avoid blood transfusions or injections.

Women's Health Issues
Women should pack a personal medical kit to cover a broad range of personal health requirements, including birth control pills and specific medications. Note that differences in climate can cause changes in a woman's pH balance. If prone to bacterial infections, women should pack any necessary supplies to counteract this problem. Women should also consider taking extra vitamin, mineral, and food supplements to ensure optimum physical health. See Women's Health Issues .
 
Medical Care

Note : Contact your embassy in Honduras for a listing of local physicians.

Tegucigalpa

Hospitals

Centro Dental D`Anzo
 Centro Comercial Centro America, Segundo Nivel, Local 24-B
Tel: [504] 239-3328

Los Lomas Medical Center
 Edificio Plaza Colprosumah, Boulevard Juan Pablo II
Tel: [504] 239-3417
Fax: [504] 239-3424

Other Medical Services :

Red Cross of Honduras
7a Calle, entre 1a. y 2a. Avenidas
Comayagüela D.C.
Tel: [504] 237-8876, 237-4628, 237-8654, 237-2240, 237-4558
Fax: [504] 238-0185, 237-4558
Email: honducruz@datum.hn  

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