Survival Guide - Argentina - page 313

Hospitals and
Pharmacies
Argentina has two types of
hospitals: public and private.
The former are usually
underequipped and under-
funded, although the doctors
and nurses are highly qualified
as many also work in the private
sector. Some well-maintained
goverment hospitals are
Hospital Zonal General de
Agudos San Roque Manuel
B. Gonnet in La Plata and
Hospital de Urgencias in
Córdoba. Private hospitals are
generally of a high standard,
offering first-class health
services and spotless rooms.
These include Buenos Aires's
Hospital Alemán and Hospital
Británico . There is also a
medical institute exclusively
for children called Hospital de
Niños Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez .
Some “prescription only”
drugs available in more devel-
oped countries, such as anti-
biotics and birth-control pills,
can be bought over the
counter in Argentina. Most
farmacias (pharmacies) are
open from 9am to 8pm and
major cities have 24-hour
outlets such as Farmacity
Malabia and Farma city Santa
Fe in the capital and Farmacia
2001 in Tucumán.

Minor Hazards
The most common minor
ailments to afflict visitors to
Argentina are dehydration
and sunstroke. Both of these
can easily be avoided by
carrying a strong sunscreen, a
hat, and bottled water on any
excursion or trip to the beach.
Tap water is also potable all
across the country.
Some serious diseases are
carried by insect bites but a
nasty rash is by far the most
likely irritant a visitor can get. It
is wise to keep a good brand of
repellent always at hand. Altitude
sickness can, in extreme cases,
be dangerous but is only an
issue for visitors traveling to
the Andean highlands.
Food poisoning is rarer
here than in most Latin
American countries, although
the usual commonsense
precautions apply.

DIRECTORY
Emergency Numbers

Ambulance
Te l 107.
Comisaría del Turista
Ave Corrientes 436, Buenos Aires.
City Map 3 E4.
Te l [phone].
Fire Service
Te l 100.
Police
Te l 911.

Hospitals and
Pharmacies

Farmacia 2001
Monteagudo 501, Tucumán.
Te l [phone].
Farmacity Malabia
Corrientes 5288, Buenos Aires.
City Map 4 B5.
Te l [phone].
∑

Public Toilets
Good public bathrooms are
scarce in Argentina and the well-
maintained ones are mainly in
cities. It is best to use the services
of public toilets in the nearest
fast food chain, shopping mall,
or department store.

farmacity.com
Farmacity Santa Fe
Santa Fe 2822, Buenos Aires.
City Map 2 B3.
Te l [phone].
∑

farmacity.com

Hospital Alemán
Ave Pueyrredón 1640, Buenos
Aires. City Map 2 B3.
Te l [phone].
∑

Travel and Health
Insurance
Visitors traveling to Argentina
are advised to purchase private
travel insurance that includes
full medical coverage. This is
useful in case of emergencies
which require treatment at
private clinics where medical
care can be very expensive.
Argentina shares no reciprocal
health insurance scheme with
any other country.

hospitalaleman.com.ar
Hospital Británico
Pedriel 74, Barracas, Buenos Aires.
Te l [phone].
∑

hospital britanico.org.ar

Hospital de Niños
Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez
Gallo 1330, Buenos Aires.
City Map 2 A3.
Te l [phone].
Hospital de Urgencias
Calle Catamarca 441, Córdoba.
Te l [phone].
Hospital Zonal General de
Agudos San Roque Manuel
B. Gonnet
Calle 508 btwn 18 & 19, La Plata.
Te l [phone].

One of the many pharmacies found in
Argentina's cities

Serious Diseases
Malaria or cholera may be found
in some rural regions. A more
common disease is dengue,
a viral illness spread by
mosquitos. Chagas is a chronic
condition transmitted through
a blood parasite carried by the
cone nose or “kissing bug.” It is
prevalent in rural parts but the
risk of contracting it is minor.

Vaccinations
Visitors traveling to remote
areas of the country should
ensure that their regular immu-
nizations, such as tetanus, are
up-to-date. They should also
consider having a Hepatitis B
vaccination. Except for a few
rural areas bordering Bolivia
and Paraguay, Argentina is
mainly malaria-free.