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Russia is an unhealthy country with a declining population, but most serious health risks can be avoided by taking basic precautions: Don't drink tap water, and be careful with what you eat.
Emergency Numbers:
Fire: 01
Police: 02
Ambulance: 03 |
Fresh Food
Some of Russia's freshest food is sold from stalls, but it's often hard to tell the difference between the tasty and the tainted. If you plan on doing any experimenting, it's a good idea to have some Imodium or other medicine for diarrhea. Moscow and St. Petersburg have supermarkets with Western-quality food, but it's harder to avoid markets and kiosks in less developed areas. Bottled water is widely available, although in provincial areas, often only carbonated.
Sexually Transmitted Disease
Russia is confronted with several epidemics of Sexual Transmitted Diseases. The most prominent one is HIV (Médecins Sans Frontières estimates that 350,000 to 600,000 people are living with HIV or AIDS in Russia), although syphilis is at present still predominant. Visitors to Russia run a high risk of acquiring STDs when they do not take simple precautions, such as using condoms when engaging in sexual intercourse.
Vaccinations
Russia has no vaccination requirements, but it's a good idea to be up-to-date with your shots. For more advice on which shots to get and which diseases to worry about, check out:
World Health Organization
www.who.int/ith/
U.S. Center for Disease Control
Health Information for Travelers
http://www.cdc.gov/travel
Western-style Clinics
While Western health care comes at a price, charges are often comparable to those in the United States, and you may be able to have the bill sent directly to your U.S. or European insurance company -- inquire at the specific clinic. Here are some options:
American Medical Center Moscow
Address: 1 Grokholsky Pereulok, 129010 Moscow
Phone:(7-095) 933-7700
Emergency Phone: (7-095) 933-7700
Fax: (7-095) 933-7700
Open: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
Regular Office Hours:
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.,
Saturday & Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Contact: Dr. Robert Young
E-mail: moscow@amcenters.com
www.amcenters.com/contact_moscow.htm |
European Medical Center
Medical Center address: 10 2nd Spiridonievskiy per. 5, bld. 1 Moscow
Phone: 933-6655
Emergency Phone: 933-6655
Dentistry Center address: 34 Konushkovskaya Ul., 123242, Moscow,
Phone: 933-0002
Emergency Phone: 933-6655
www.emcmos.ru/about-e.cfm
International SOS Clinic
Address: 10th Floor, Polyclinic No. 1, 31 Grokholsky Pereulok, 129010 Moscow
Phone: (7-095) 937-5760
Emergency Phone: (7-095) 937-6477
Contact: Maxine Ash, 937-5760
E-mail: mow.marketing@internationalsos.com to make an appointment or askthedoctor@internationalsos.com for free medical advice.
http://www.internationalsos.com/
Russian-American Family Medicine Center
Address: 10 2nd Tverskoi-Yamskoi Pereulok, 125047 Moscow
Tel: (7-095) 250-0646/9373/8318
Fax: (7-095) 250-8403
E-mail: contact@rafmc.ru
http://www.rafmc.ru/
American Medical Center St. Petersburg
Address: 10 Serpukhovskaya St., 198013 St Petersburg
Phone: (7-812) 326-1730
Emergency Phone: (7-812) 326-1730
Fax: (7-812) 326-1731
Open: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
Regular Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Contact: Alex Sokol
E-mail: stpetersburg@amcenters.com
www.amcenters.com/contact_peter.htm
Travel Health on the Web
Travel Doctor
An Australian firm that specializes in travel medical advice.
http://www.tmvc.com.au/index.htm
Travel Health Online
A site offering country-by-country summaries of traveler's health information.
http://www.tripprep.com/
U.S. State Department
Medical information for travelers - includes list of emergency evacuation services.
http://travel.state.gov/medical |
