Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
HIV & AIDS
»
Ukraine is the site of Europe's worst HIV epidemic.
»
The country is thought to have 230,000 people living with HIV - far more than
any other European state.
»
The virus continues to spread faster here than elsewhere on the continent.
»
The worst-hit areas are Crimea, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Odesa, Mykolayiv and
Kyiv.
»
The message is clear: always practise safe sex.
Medical Facilities
State hospitals and clinics are very basic affairs with limited supplies and facilities. Pa-
tients are expected to supply everything from food to syringes, and doctors expect (unoffi-
cial) payment for every stage of treatment. Avoid admittance to this type of hospital if you
can by contacting the following Kyiv clinics where Western standards of care are main-
tained:
American Medical Centre
(
emergency hotline 044 490 7600;
http://amcenters.com
;
vul Berdychivska 1;
24hr;
Lukyanivska)
Dobrobut
(
044 495 2888;
www.med.dobrobut.com
;
vul Pymonenka 10, Kyiv;
24hr)
Tap Water
Drinking tap water is not recommended anywhere in Ukraine. Bottled water is cheap and
comes both still and fizzy.
Insurance
Make sure you are fully insured before heading to Ukraine. Worldwide travel insurance is
available at
www.lonelyplanet.com/travel_services
.
You can buy, extend and claim online
anytime - even if you're already on the road.
If you're staying longer than 90 days in the country (and therefore will need a visa), you
might also be asked to show you have appropriate health insurance, as decided by the
Department of Citizenship, Passport & Immigration.
