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Country Guide > Europe > Latvia | |
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Health
Food & drink Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Other risks Tick-borne encephalitis is present, particularly in forested areas. Campers and trekkers should wear protective clothing; immunisation is strongly advisable as reported cases have increased in recent years. Diphtheria and hepatitis A have been reported in the area. Diphyllobothriasis (fish tapeworm) can be ingested from freshwater fish caught around the Baltic Sea area. Tuberculosis has been reported and precautions are necessary. Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix. Health care European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland: If you or any of your dependants are suddenly taken ill or have an accident during a visit to an EEA country or Switzerland, free or reduced-cost necessary treatment is available – in most cases on production of a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Each country has different rules about state medical provision. In some, treatment is free. In many countries you will have to pay part or all of the cost, and then claim a full or partial refund. The EHIC gives access to state-provided medical treatment only and the scheme gives no entitlement to medical repatriation costs, nor does it cover ongoing illnesses of a non-urgent nature, so comprehensive travel insurance is advised. Note that the EHIC replaces the Form E111, which will no longer be valid after 31 December 2005. Some restrictions apply, depending on your nationality. You will be charged a standard fee for seeing a doctor. Children under 18 and pregnant women getting treatment relating to their pregnancy will not be charged. Any dentist you see must be contracted with a Sickness Insurance Fund or with the Compulsory Health Insurance State Agency (Veselības obligātās apdrošīnāšanas valsts aġentūra). You will have to pay for most dental services. For children up to 18, most treatments are free. The dental surgery at Stabu iela 9 has an emergency service from 2000-0800. Medicines are prescribed by doctors and dispensed by pharmacies. You may have to pay a prescription charge. A full range of medicines is available at pharmacies; however, it is advisable to bring any medicines necessary, as instructions on the packet are in Latvian, and familiar brands may not be available. In an emergency you can go directly to a hospital. Otherwise, for in-patient treatment, you will need a referral from a GP or medical specialist. There is a hospital admission fee and a daily charge for in-patient treatment from the second day of an admission (up to a maximum limit). The reception of the City Clinical Hospital No 1 at Bruninieku iela 8 is open 24 hours. Ambulance travel is free provided it is requested by the public health service in an emergency. More information can be obtained from the Latvian Compulsory Health Insurance State Agency (VOAVA) (website: www.voava.gov.lv/eng/). |