Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Health & Medical Matters
Brazil has a free national public healthcare system.
Even foreign tourists will receive medical attention
in any of the public hospitals, should they require it.
Unfortunately, the public health system is overloaded
and inadequately funded, especially in the rural areas
of Brazil. Queues can be long and tedious, and facilities
are not always up to European or North American
standards. However, Brazil's private hospitals and
clinics, though not free, offer world-class medical
facilities. A good travel insurance policy will give
access to these private facilities in an emergency, but
remember to read the fine print carefully. Overall,
hygiene standards in Brazil are high. Normal care is
required with food and drink, and with preventive
vaccinations, particularly when visiting the most
remote parts of the country.
mosquitoes, and there is
no vaccine to prevent it.
It is much more common
in the summer months,
from December to March.
Symptoms include high fever,
joint pain, and headaches
(especially behind the eyes).
The illness usually runs its
course in a week or 10 days,
but a check-up is recom-
mended to avoid any
complications.
Cholera occasionally occurs
in remote areas, but is mostly
preventable by taking proper
hygiene precautions such as
drinking filtered water and
washing and peeling fruit and
vegetables. The most
important precaution is to
wash hands frequently.
PHARMACIES
For minor ailments, travelers
can turn to Brazil's farmácias ,
or pharmacies. These can be
found everywhere, are always
well supplied, and are often
open late. Every city will have
at least one that is open 24
hours. Many medications
that in other countries are
available only by prescription
can be bought over the
counter in Brazil. Take care
to remember the generic
name of a medication
taken regularly. A trained
pharmacist is normally on
hand to recommend the
appropriate medication for
common ailments such as
diarrhoea, allergies, rashes,
or infections. It is possible
to get injections and free
medical advice in pharmacies
all over Brazil.
A fire brigade ambulance parked outside a fire control office
VACCINATIONS
TROPICAL DISEASES
It is a good idea to consult a
travel clinic or family doctor
for an International Certificate
of Vaccinations, an up-to-date
list of the required vaccina-
tions. The ones most
commonly recommended are
a DTP (diphtheria, tetanus,
and polio) booster, as well as
for typhoid and hepatitis A.
A yellow fever vaccination
is also required. This disease
is endemic to many parts of
South America, including
Brazil. Officially, all visitors
to Brazil are required to
show proof of yellow fever
vaccination. Although the
requirement is not regularly
enforced for visitors coming
from North America or
Europe, it is compulsory for
those from other countries in
South America. Entry can
be denied upon failure to
show proof of vaccination.
Anti-malarial tablets may be
advisable for those visiting
some of the more remote
parts of the Amazon.
Visitors to Brazil's major
tourist destinations rarely
have to worry about tropical
diseases. The one tropical
disease that can occur
anywhere in the country,
even in urban areas, is
dengue fever. It is a viral
infection that prevails through-
out South America. The
disease is transmitted by
A well-stocked pharmacy in São Paulo
 
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