Ethiopia Health

Health

Health Be careful of the food you eat, and don't stay in the sun too long. If you get sick, contact your embassy for advice. Ethiopian doctors are expensive. However, the very expensive hospitals, especially in Addis-Ababa are clean and well maintained. Degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, and hepatitis E vectorborne diseases: malaria and cutaneous leishmaniasis are high risks in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis animal contact disease: rabies water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004) Safety For the most part, the country is safe. Avoid travelling to the eastern part of the country beyond the city of Harar. The Somali separatist groups occasionally launch a guerilla attack. Most expats who go there are US military personnel actively training the Ethiopian army's anti-terrorism unit. Many others are Chinese, Indian or Malaysian representatives of oil companies. Organized crime and gang violence are very unusual in most parts of the country. However, in the border areas of Sudan (Gambella Region) and Kenya, there are some reports indicating occurences of banditry. Avoid these areas. Though Ethiopia has a secular government, the Ethiopian people are very religious. The two dominant religions (the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Islam) strongly influence people's day-to-day life. Therefore, according to their influence the government implements certain rules and laws that could appear unsettling to westerners. For example, Homosexuality is illegal, and any perceived indication of gay behaviour will not be tolerated. Be mindful of expressing dissenting views to followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church or Islamic religions. You may get a violent response if you criticise these beliefs, so proceed with tact and understanding during such conversations.

[ World Health Orginisation ]

[ Hospital of Tropical Diseases ]