Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
IN JORDAN
Availability & Cost of Health Care
Healthcare provision is of a high standard in Jordan and any emergency treatment not re-
quiring hospitalisation is free. The availability of health care can be summarised as follows:
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»Modern, well-equipped public and private hospitals in Amman, Irbid, Aqaba and Karak.
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»Good regional hospitals in Madaba, Ramtha and Zarqa.
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»Basic health centres (all towns).
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»Fairly modern and well-equipped dental surgeries in cities.
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»Well-stocked pharmacies (most towns) dispensing advice as well as medicines.
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»All doctors (and most pharmacists) speak English; many have studied abroad.
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»Telephone numbers for pharmacies and hospitals in all cities are listed in the English-
language newspapers.
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»Ambulance number in Jordan: 911.
Food & Water
Water
Tap water in Jordan is generally safe to drink, but for a short trip it's better to stick to
bottled water. This is readily available but check the seal has not been broken. Alternat-
ively, you can boil tap water for 10 minutes, use water purification tablets or a filter.
The tap water in southern Jordan, particularly Wadi Rum, comes from natural springs at
Diseh and so is extremely pure. Avoid drinking water from wadis in the wild as pools may
have been used as waterholes for livestock. In the Jordan Valley, amoebic dysentery can be
a problem.
If you get stuck in the desert without water, remember that you are more likely to be ser-
iously ill (and even die) from dehydration than you are from a stomach upset, however un-
pleasant it may be. In summary, if water is offered and you need it, worry about its proven-
ance later!
Avoiding Diarrhoea
The risk of becoming sick from unhygienic food preparation in Jordan is slim, especially if
you follow this advice:
