Health Resources for Trip Leaders and Participants Traveling to Honduras

 

The following is information compiled from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) (http://www.cdc.gov/travel/) pertaining to Central America and by the Honduras Partnership Committee (HPC) based on experience. Individuals traveling to Honduras who have followed these guidelines have had great success with their health.  This document is provided only as a guideline to assist travelers in their preparations and does not serve as a substitute for the advice of a medical profession.  More extensive information can be found on the CDC website.       

 

Vaccinations

Travelers must arrange to meet with a physician, local health department, or private or public agency that advises international travelers at least 4-6 weeks before travel to Honduras to discuss health precautions and to allow time for vaccines to become effective.  The following vaccines are generally recommended:

• Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Transmission of hepatitis A virus can occur through direct person-to-person contact; through exposure to contaminated water, ice, or shellfish harvested in contaminated water; or from fruits, vegetables, or other foods that are eaten uncooked and that were contaminated during harvesting or subsequent handling.
• Hepatitis B, especially if you might be exposed to blood or body fluids (for example, health-care workers), have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment. Hepatitis B vaccine is now recommended for all infants and for children ages 11–12 years who did not receive the series as infants.
• Malaria: if you are traveling to a malaria-risk area in this region, see your health care provider for a prescription antimalarial drug. Chloroquine is the recommended drug for Honduras .
• Typhoid vaccine. Typhoid fever can be contracted through contaminated drinking water or food, or by eating food or drinking beverages that have been handled by a person who is infected. Large outbreaks are most often related to fecal contamination of water supplies or foods sold by street vendors
• As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria and measles.

Ask your doctor for a prescription of Cipro to treat severe diarrhea. 

You may discuss with your doctor the possibility of vaccines for Rabies or Yellow fever, but these are not usually necessary. 

Travel Clinics in Maine

Maine General Medical Center: Specialty Center http://www.mainegeneral.org/locations/specialty_center/default_augusta.asp

Augusta : Phone: 626-1936

Waterville : Phone: 861-5202                                                                                                     

Martin’s Point Health Care: Travel Medicine http://www.martinspoint.org/body.cfm?id=27&oTopID=19                                                                                                        Portland : Phone: 207-828-2402 or 800-897-1957                                                       
Portsmouth , NH : Phone: 603-431-5154 or 800-222-5154

Health Insurance                                                                                                           
Before departure, travelers should learn what medical services their health insurance will cover overseas, as well as any policy exclusions. While some major health insurance carriers in the United States may provide coverage for emergencies that occur while traveling, most do not cover medical expenses due to exacerbations of pre-existing medical conditions while abroad. Furthermore, very few health insurance companies cover the cost of medical evacuation, which can vary widely, ranging from a few thousand dollars to over $100,000, depending on the circumstances.  Each traveler must be responsible for organizing their own health insurance coverage: People traveling in the past have used:       
Travel Guard International http://www.travelguard.com/                                
1.800.826.4919 ( U.S. ) Toll Free
1.715.345.0505 (International Collect)
Email: inquire@travelguard.com

Travel Insurance                                                                                                                
If you desire to purchase insurance to cancel your flight reservations in case of illness or death, the following is an option:

Access America   http://www.accessamerica.com/

1-800-496-6821

 

What to Bring to Stay Healthy

• Long-sleeved shirt, long pants, and a hat to wear whenever possible while outside, to prevent illnesses carried by insects.
• Insect repellent containing DEET.
• Bed nets treated with permethrin (depending on the location of your worksite – check with the HPC).
• Sunblock, sunglasses, and a hat for protection from harmful effects of UV sun rays.
• Prescription medications: make sure you have enough to last during your trip, as well as a copy of the prescription(s) or letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you.
• Always carry medications in their original containers, in your carry-on luggage.
• Be sure to bring along over-the-counter antidiarrheal medication (e.g., bismuth subsalicylate, loperamide) and an antibiotic prescribed by your doctor to self-treat moderate to severe diarrhea.
• Hand sanitizer

Travel Kit                                                                                                                        
Each member of the group that is traveling should bring some of these items for themselves, but the medical person on the trip must be responsible for bringing a First Aid Kit and the contents suggested in this Travel Kit for use by the group.  As many of these supplies as possible should be transported in a carry-on (as is allowed by federal guidelines) in case luggage is lost. 

• Personal prescription medications (copies of all prescriptions, including the generic names for medications, and a note from the prescribing physician on letterhead stationary for controlled substances and injectable medications should be carried)
• Antimalarial medications, if applicable
• Antidiarrheal medication (e.g., bismuth subsalicylate, loperamide)
• Antibiotic for self-treatment of moderate to severe diarrhea
• Antihistamine
• Decongestant, alone or in combination with antihistamine
• Antimotion sickness medication
• Acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, or other medication for pain or fever
• Mild laxative
• Cough suppressant/expectorant
• Throat lozenges
• Antacid
• Antifungal and antibacterial ointments or creams
• 1% hydrocortisone cream
• Epinephrine auto-injector (e.g., EpiPen), especially if history of severe allergic reaction. Also available in smaller-dose package for children.  Benadryl is recommended as well.

• Insect repellent containing DEET (up to 50%)
• Sunscreen (preferably SPF 15 or greater)
• Aloe gel for sunburns
• Digital thermometer
• Oral rehydration solution packets
• Basic first-aid items (adhesive bandages, gauze, ace wrap, antiseptic, tweezers, scissors, cotton-tipped applicators)
• Antibacterial hand wipes or alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Moleskin for blisters
• Lubricating eye drops (e.g., Natural Tears)
• First Aid Quick Reference card

Other items that may be useful in certain circumstances

• Mild sedative (e.g., zolpidem) or other sleep aid
• Anti-anxiety medication
• High-altitude preventive medication
• Commercial suture/syringe kits (to be used by local health-care provider. These items will also require a letter from the prescribing physician on letterhead stationary)
• Address and phone numbers of area hospitals or clinics

Health Precautions                                                                                                             
To stay healthy, do...

• Wash your hands often with soap and water or, if hands are not visibly soiled, use a waterless, alcohol-based hand rub to remove potentially infectious materials from your skin and help prevent disease transmission.
• Drink only bottled or boiled water, carbonated drinks in cans or bottles, or beverages such as tea and coffee, made with boiled water. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes.
• Close your eyes and mouth while taking a shower. 
• Take your malaria prevention medication before, during, and after travel, as directed.  
• To prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot, even on beaches.
• Avoid dairy products, unless you know they have been pasteurized. Avoid salads and uncooked vegetables.  Eat only food that has been cooked and is still hot or fruit that has been washed in clean water and then peeled yourself.
• Protect yourself from mosquito insect bites:
• Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats when outdoors.
• Use insect repellents that contain DEET (N, N-diethylmethyltoluamide). For more information about insect repellents and correct use, see What You Need to Know about Mosquito Repellent on the CDC West Nile Virus site.
• If no screening or air conditioning is available: use a pyrethroid-containing spray in living and sleeping areas during evening and night-time hours; sleep under bed nets, preferably insecticide-treated ones (this is necessary in specific locations only).

Do not…

• Do not eat food purchased from street vendors or food that is not well cooked to reduce risk of infection (i.e., hepatitis A and typhoid fever).
• Do not drink beverages with ice.
• Do not brush your teeth with tap water. 
• Do not swim in fresh water to avoid exposure to certain water-borne diseases such as schistosomiasis. (For more information, please see Swimming and Recreational Water Precautions.)
• Do not handle animals, especially monkeys, dogs, and cats, to avoid bites and serious diseases (including rabies and plague). Consider pre-exposure rabies vaccination if you might have extensive unprotected outdoor exposure in rural areas. For more information, please see Animal-Associated Hazards.
• Do not share needles for tattoos, body piercing or injections to prevent infections such as HIV and hepatitis B.

After Returning Home                                                                                                  
Continue taking your antimalarial drug for 4 weeks (chloroquine, doxycycline, or mefloquine) or seven days (atovaquone/proguanil) after leaving the risk area.  Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness. If you become ill with a fever or flu-like illness either while traveling in a malaria-risk area or after you return home (for up to 1 year), you should seek immediate medical attention and should tell the physician your travel history.

Health Forms                                                                                                                   
Each member of the group traveling to Honduras must fill out a health form.  Children under 18 must have their form signed by an adult.  For privacy, the form should be sealed in a labeled envelope to be turned into the medical person on the team to be opened in emergency situations only. 

Emergency Contacts in Honduras                                                                                        
Pastor Feliciano Rivera (President of the E&R Church ): 011-504-552-6767 (office)    
Pastor Joel Castro (President of AIEH of the E&R Church ): 011-504-665-4108 (home)

U.S. Embassy and Consulate location:
Avenida La Paz in Tegucigalpa , Honduras
Internet Web site: http://honduras.usembassy.gov/
Telephone: 011-504-236-9320 or 011-504-238-5114
For information on services for U.S. citizens, please ask for ext. 4400. 
American Citizens Services Unit Fax: 011-504-238-4357

Consular Agency in San Pedro Sula location:
Banco Atlantida Building – 11th Floor
San Pedro Sula , Honduras
Telephone: 011-504-558-1580

Hospital Leonard Martinez: Telephone: 504-550-8415
9–10 Avenida, 7 Calle, SO No 56, San Pedro Sula , Honduras

La Lima Medical Center : Telephone: 504-668-2387   
An international quality of care medical complex in La Lima (just outside of San Pedro Sula ), Honduras that is a member of the Family Hospital Group of Hospitals. The Medical Center includes 80-beds, outpatient diagnostic center, laboratory, radiology, ultrasound, CT Scan, pharmacy and a professional building with 40 physician offices.

 

 

Honduras Partnership Health Form

 

 

Name:______________________________________ Date of Birth:________________

Address:________________________________________________________________

              ________________________________________________________________

Phone:_____________________________ email:_______________________________

 

In case of an emergency contact:__________________________ relation:___________

Daytime phone number:________________ Evening phone number:________________

 

Primary Care Physician:___________________________________________________

Name of Practice:____________________________________ Phone:______________

 

Travel Insurance Carrier:______________________________ Policy #:_____________

Is pre-authorization required?  Yes  No     Phone number:______________________

 

Immunizations: Please list date of most recent vaccination

Tetanus:______________  Typhoid:______________ 

Hepatitis A:___________  Hepatitis B:____________ 

 

Blood Type:___________

 

Please list any allergies to medications, food, or other substances, the level of severity, type of reaction, and management for the reaction. 

 

 

 

Please list any medications you are taking, what they are for, and the dosage and time you take them each day.  (Remember to bring enough for your stay and have all in clearly labeled bottles). 

 

 

 

Please list any existing medical, emotional, or physical conditions, surgeries you have had, or restrictions that should be shared with medical personnel in the event of an emergency.  Attach additional information as necessary.

  

 

 

Dates of time abroad:_____________________________________________________

 

Signature:___________________________________________ Date:______________

 

(All participants sign and attach the following form as designated by age.)

 

For participants 21 and under

 

I,___________________, Parent or Guardian of ____________________, agree and consent to having the trip leaders from the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ, under whose auspices the trip to Honduras is conducted, approve as parent to secure any emergency medical treatment which may be necessary for my child / myself during this trip. I further assume all responsibility for the decisions so made, and the emergency care or treatment so secured for the decisions so made, and the emergency care or treatment so secured for my child/myself. I also authorize the advisors as agents for the undersigned, to consent to any examination, x-ray, anesthetic, medical or surgical diagnosis or treatment and hospital care which is rendered under supervision of any licensed physician or surgeon.

 

Parent or Guardian's signature:__________________________________Date___________

 

 

Notary Public:_____________________________________________Date:____________

Commission expires:______________________Seal:_________________

 

 

For participants over the age of 21

 

I am traveling with (family member when applicable)______________________________ who is my (relationship) _________________.  In the event of a medical emergency, if he/she is unable to make decisions on my behalf, I, (your name) ________________________________ , agree and consent to have the trip leader(s) from the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ, under whose auspices the trip to Honduras is conducted, approve  to secure any emergency medical treatment which may be necessary for myself during this trip. I further assume all responsibility for the decisions so made, and the emergency care or treatment so secured for the decisions so made, and the emergency care or treatment so secured for myself. I also authorize the advisor(s) as agents for the undersigned, to consent to any examination, x-ray, anesthetic, medical or surgical diagnosis or treatment and hospital care which is rendered under supervision of any licensed physician or surgeon.

 

 

Signature:__________________________________  Date:___________

 

 

Notary Public:_____________________________________________Date:____________

Commission expires:______________________Seal:_________________