Page 35 - The Rough Guide to Panama (Travel Guide)

HealtH BASICS 33
should be sampled, as should pipa – fresh coconut addition to ensuring that your routine injections
water sipped through a straw straight from the shell. are current (tetanus, diphtheria and polio, and
Outside the country, Panama’s reputation as the MMR), hepatitis a and typhoid are generally recom-
world leader in producing gourmet coffee is a mended, though you can also have a combined
secret known only to connoisseurs; you can sample hepatitis a and B jab, advisable for long-term travel-
the most prized beans in Boquete and Panama City, lers. Yellow fever is nearly always flagged up as a
though elsewhere you’re more likely to be sipping hazard on health websites in relation to Panama,
the more mundane but perfectly satisfying Café although the last documented case was in 1974.
Duran, which will be strong and is sometimes Nevertheless, there is still deemed to be a very
offered with condensed milk. While black tea is slight risk of the disease in the Darién and remoter
widely available in cities and tourist areas, tea lovers parts of Guna Yala. Moreover, since November 2008
will usually have to content themselves with herbal the Panamanian government has required travellers
varieties elsewhere – chamomile (manzanilla) or entering the country from countries where yellow
cinnamon (canela) are the most common. fever is listed as endemic, such as Colombia and
Iced tap water is generally served on arrival in Brazil, to carry proof of vaccination at least ten days
restaurants, except where water quality is poor – prior to entry – ironic given that Panama is also on
Bocas, the Darién and Guna Yala – in which case the list – though this requirement is rarely enforced.
you’ll need to order mineral water. Rabies is another potential hazard, more from
vampire bats in cattle-ranching areas than from
feral dogs, and one that should only really be
Health considered by travellers expecting to spend time in
the remoter rural areas.
In the years when the transisthmus
railroad and Canal were under construc- General precautions
tion, Panama was synonymous with
disease, in particular yellow fever, a major plus is that tap water in most of Panama is
malaria and cholera. Thankfully, times safe to drink, which means the usual travel worries
have changed, and most of Panama about avoiding ice in drinks and salads washed in
poses little threat to your health: yellow ordinary water can be dispensed with. the excep-
fever has been eradicated; malaria only tions are in Guna Yala, much of the Darién and the
persists in a few isolated areas; tap water remoter parts of Bocas. On the main tourist islands
is safe to drink in most of the country; of Guna Yala and Bocas bottled water, though
and sophisticated medical care is widely expensive, is widely available, but it is less easily
available in the main population centres. obtained in the Darién. that said, since disposing of
Your most likely medical ailment will be non-organic waste such as plastic bottles is a
travellers’ diarrhoea from a change of particularly acute environmental issue in these
diet and climate, or sunburn from areas, try to bring a water filter or use water purifi-
overdoing it on the beach. cation tablets as much as possible. these are rarely
that said, you should ensure that your basic available in Panama City (see p.38) so bring them
inoculations are up to date and consult a travel with you. While vile-tasting chlorine or iodine
medical centre professional to help you decide tablets are still effective and widely available, most
what other precautions to take. If you intend only to companies now produce tablets to neutralize the
explore the Canal area and chill on the beach, you’ll unpleasant aftertaste. Seek advice on the relative
probably need little more than sun block and insect merits of chlorine versus iodine; the latter, for
repellent, but if you’re bent on venturing into the example, though considered more effective against
Darién jungle, all kinds of insect- and water-borne giardia parasites, is generally not recommended for
hazards need to be considered. Medical insurance pregnant women. Campers with their own stove
is essential (see p.35 & p.43). can of course boil water to sterilize it.
Since food safety is related to water safety and to
Inoculations food storage, exercise common sense when eating
salads or unpeeled fruit in the few areas in
Most inoculations that involve multiple jabs need Panama where the water is not potable. Street
six to eight weeks to complete. there are no food, though frequently very tasty, is another
compulsory vaccinations to visit Panama but in potential minefield, particularly at fiestas when

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