The health system in Ecuador has developed rapidly over the last few years. Many of the large cities have hospitals and other medical facilities that easily live up to western standards. Luckily, however, most travellers and expats in Ecuador never even have to see the inside of any of these hospitals or clinics.

There are some small illnesses and other health issues to keep in mind before and during your stay in Ecuador.

Altitude sickness

Many foreign visitors have trouble adjusting to the high altitude of the Andes. Altitude sickness is one of the most common problems for tourists visiting the capital and other areas of the Andean slope.

Altitude sickness can cause serious headaches, nausea, stomache aches and fatigue. Luckily there are some easy ways to make sure that you are not being faced with altitude sickness. By taking it a little easy during your first two weeks in Ecuador and not drinking a lot of alcohol, you can limit the chance of getting altitude sickness. Make sure to drink a lot of water and have a regular sleeping pattern too.

Food poisoning

People that stay in Ecuador for more than a few months will definitely face this problem. Eating something that is not well cooked, or already bad will happen to anybody. Regardless of the places you visit or how carefull you are, it will happen to everybody. Here are a few tips to limit the chance of food poisoning:

• Don't drink water from the tap, you can use it to clean vegetables or fruits.
• Stay away from places where you can see a unhygenic kitchen.
• When you eat fruits, make sure to wash them.

Every pharmacy in Ecuador will be able to offer you medication for these small stomache problems. Don't expect that you have to go to the hospital, it hardly ever gets this serious. Your toilet will be your best friend for a few days though.

Malaria

Ecuador is not a high risk area for malaria. In some areas of the rainforest and at the coast it has appeared over the last 25 years. If you plan to go to these areas, we recommend you to take medication against malaria. You can buy the medication in your local pharmacy at home or wait until you get to Ecuador. It is available at all pharmacies and has the same quality.

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites