Medical Training for Health

yellow fever, malaria or dengue, are the most common tropical diseases contracted Spanish tourists who travel to tropical countries without having carried out before adequate vaccination or prophylaxis against these diseases.

More than half of Spanish tourists are not vaccinated properly before embarking on a trip to hazardous areas such as tropical or endemic countries in Africa, Asia and South America, among others, as experts include Study Group Vaccination in Adults (GESVES).

“To avoid unnecessary health risks, travelers should consult with your doctor and go to one of the international vaccination centers, at least one month before the journey, as some vaccines take the time to offer full protection” says Dr. Ramón Cisterna, coordinator and chief GESVES Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control Hospital de Basurto (Vizcaya).

Also the Ministry of Health and Social Policy is aware of this danger, so it has launched the program “Health also travels’, and advised those who are traveling abroad this summer, especially in tropical countries or destinations bit Frequently, make an appointment at any of the 73 international vaccination centers in Spain to avoid overcrowding and receive personalized information based on their destination.

Lack of information
Last year, the international vaccination centers in Spain attended to 199,471 passengers, representing an increase of 10.6 percent in vaccines administered from 27 percent in recommended vaccines, and 5.9 percent in prophylaxis malaria or malaria scheduled for the year 2007. In addition, international vaccination centers conducted in 2008 a total of 605,952 individual preventive actions, ie three performances per visitor attended and responded to over 157,309 telephone calls.

In the case of vaccines were dispensed a total of 312,697, of which 79,645 correspond to yellow fever, 56,419 to typhoid fever, diphtheria tetanus 40,383 and 45,801 with hepatitis A. The remaining 90,449 were for other vaccines are also recommended for travelers to areas where they went. In the case of malaria, the most important tropical disease and for which no vaccine, were prescribed during the past year totaling 99,596 prophylaxis indications.

However, these figures are far from desired. According to Dr. Ramón Cisterna, “one of the fundamental problems of vaccination in travelers is that most of these people do not even ask for information before leaving for an exotic location. However, we are seeing an increased awareness by society, but is still insufficient. One positive aspect is that now many travel agencies and provide the necessary information and advised to visit health centers indicated. ”

Also, the expert stressed the need to go to accredited schools to receive an individualized health advice based on the length of stay, health conditions in the country of destination, age and clinical condition of the traveler, and time available before the trip, among other aspects to consider.

In any case, it should not escape any traveler of this type of immunization. “Not only must pay attention to patients at risk (elderly, chronically ill, children …), but we must advise you all with the aim of preventing the greatest number of infections acquired in countries of holiday accommodation and reduce queries performed medical returning from travel, “he notes.