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A Guide to Health and Safety in Costa RicaApr 16 '01 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line You should be healthy and safety in Costa Rica as long as you follow some basic precautions. I spent the summer of 1999 in Costa Rica and became somewhat of an expert on medical care due to my work at a health clinic, my frequent illness and my experiences with sick friends. Here are a few of my observations. Medical Care Health Risks There are few health risks in traveling to Costa Rica. There are some risks of traveler’s diarrhea, malaria and dengue fever. The CDC website can offer much more expertise on this matter than I; check it out at http://www.cdc.gov before traveling to Costa Rica. Accessibility In general, the medical care in Costa Rica is very good. The only problem is, it can be somewhat inaccessible outside of San Jose if you are not Costa Rican. Costa Rica has nationalized health care; health care is free to Costa Rican citizens. Until the mid-eighties, health care was free to foreign visitors as well, but this changed due to the structural adjustment policies of the Reagan era. Now, foreigners must pay for their health care and are ineligible to receive care from public hospitals. During much of my stay in Costa Rica, I lived in a village about a two-hour bus ride from the city. Although there was a hospital nearby, I was unable to use the hospital since I was not Costa Rican. Instead, I had to take the long bus ride day after day to go to a private clinic. This was not a pleasant experience when I was ill and was probably the worst part of my experience with health care in Costa Rica. Services The quality of the medical services was very good. I went to the Clinica Biblica in San Jose and found the doctors good and the staff efficient. Communication could be somewhat difficult if you did not speak Spanish. There are English-speaking doctors at Clinica Biblica but their fluency in English is limited; it could be tough to diagnose some complex medical problems. For the most part, I found my conditions quickly diagnosed and treated, and tests came back within an hour (amazing!) Beware of doctors who overprescribe medications though. Costa Ricans tend to judge the quality of their health care by the number of medicines the doctor prescribes; therefore doctors tend to prescribe much more than you need. Ask what each medicine is for and do not buy those you feel you will not need. Price The cost of health care was relatively inexpensive, but I had to pay with my credit card and later be reimbursed by my health insurance company. This is typical of the health care system, even for major procedures. When my friend had to get an emergency appendectomy, she had to pay about $2000 before she could be released. I would recommend bringing along a credit card with a $5000 limit or so for medical emergencies. Although the chance you will need this is slim, you could find yourself in quite a difficult situation without this. Compared to the United States, the cost of health care if very inexpensive. Emergency room visits were $25, tests were $5-$10 and medicines were generally a few dollars. Safety Driving Costa Rica has tons of driving accidents. Between the maniacal drivers and the huge potholes, driving is a somewhat terrifying experience. Accidents are frequent here and seatbelts are rarely worn. I would recommend avoiding driving if at all possible and instead make use of the inexpensive buses and taxis. If you must drive, I would recommend a 4X4 vehicle (you will need high suspension for the potholes). Be sure to buckle up at all times and watch carefully for swerving drivers and potholes. Sidewalks There is a reason they call them gringo-traps. Watch out for sudden huge holes in the sidewalk. A few of my friends fell into them while in Costa Rica, and I have heard many stories of North American visitors suffering broken legs and other injuries from the fall. Crime Violent crime in Costa Rica is extremely rare, despite the well-publicized case of two American tourists who were killed there last year. The Limon province has a more violent reputation than the rest of Costa Rica, but you are much less likely to be the victim of violent crime in Costa Rica than in the U.S. While violent crime is very rare in Costa Rica, theft is a national sport. There are a few general rules to follow in Costa Rica. Never take your hands off your personal belongings while in public. Trust me, if you set your camera down beside you it will be gone a few minutes later. Also, never carry more than you would feel comfortable having stolen. Muggings are very frequent, especially among American tourists. So be smart; carry only the cash you need and leave any valuables locked up in a hotel safe. Do not wear jewelry; this tends to attract muggings. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of this point. Out of the ten people I traveled with, five were the victim of some kind of theft or mugging. I never had trouble, but I never wore jewelry or carried a purse or camera.  |
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