Page 297 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

PR A C TIC AL INFORM A TION  295

DIRECTORY
Emergency Numbers
Ambulance and
First Aid
Tel 104.
Health Insurance
Asistur
Tel 7866 4499.
∑ asistur.cu
Havanatur Celimar
∑ havanatur.cu
International Hospitals
Wear a hat and use sunscreen to avoid burns and heatstroke
and Clinics
Protection from the Sun
inhaler with them. All the Havana
hospitals and policlínicos (the The sun in Cuba is very strong Clínica Cira García, Calle 20 n.
neighbourhood out-patient and protection is necessary 4101, esq. 41, Miramar, Havana.
clinics) are well-equipped for throughout the whole year. Tel 7204 2811.
these problems. Wear a hat, whether sight ∑ cirag.cu
Another fairly common seeing in town or lying on the Santiago de Cuba
nuisance in Cuba is diarrhoea, beach, and use a strong sun Ave Raúl Pujol y Calle 10.
or worse, dysentery. This can lotion with a high screen Tel (22) 714 019.
generally be prevented by factor. Sunscreen should be
always drinking bottled water, re applied regularly, particu larly Varadero
or water that has been purified after swimming. It is also Ave. 1ra y 61.
with tablets; another useful advisable to drink plenty of Tel (45) 667 710.
precaution is to avoid food water to prevent dehydration. International
and drinks sold on the street. High humidity and heat may Pharmacies
It is best to avoid ice in cock- cause heatstroke, with
tails as well. symptoms of thirst, nausea, Farmacia Internacional
All these measures should fever, and dizziness. If this Habana Libre
also be enough to ward off occurs, keep up fluid intake Hotel Habana Libre, Ave. L, e/ 23
giardiasis, a disease caused and take cold baths. y 25, Vedado, Havana.
by a parasite that attacks the Map 2 E2.
intestine and causes dysentery, Insects Tel 7834 6187.
nausea, fatigue and weight loss. Farmacia Internacional
Rare cases of yellow fever and Mosquitoes are the main Miramar
dengue fever may occur in the irritant in Cuba (and can cause Ave. 41 esq. 20, Miramar, Havana.
summer. However, since these disease). In swampy or lagoon Tel 7204 4350.
two diseases are spread by areas, such as the Zapata
mosquitoes, it is advisable to use swamp, pay particular attention Health Tourism
plenty of insect repellent when to applying insect repellent, Servimed – Turismo y Salud
planning to tour marshy areas, cover up in the evening and Tel 7204 1630.
and to burn mosquito-repellent sleep with the fan or air ∑ medicos@sermed.chtur.cu
coils in the evening. conditioning on.
Health Tourism
Thanks to its favourable climate, Cuba has long been
regarded as an effective sanatorium, popular with an
international clientele. By the 19th century, the first hotels
had been built near springs of therapeutic mineral water.
Beside the spas, there are now international clinics which
provide general medical care and also specialize in anti-
stress and skin treatments, as well as hospitals for the
rehabilitation of alcoholics and drug addicts. These centres
are located throughout the country and are in great
demand: the waiting lists are not long, the prices are
competitive and the results are good. They are run Dermatological treatment in one of the
by the state-run Servimed organization. specialist clinics

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