If you are planning your trip to Cuba, you should spend some time preparing and thinking about your travel medication. Of course you should do that whenever you travel, but knowing the medical conditions in Cuba makes you paying a bit more attention to what you want to take, especially when you are travelling with a kid. Although it is said that Cuba has a very good health care (e.g. high doctor-to-population ratio, high amount of clinics) and it is considered to be one of the “healthies countries,” the reality looks a bit different. The medical equipment is often outdated, the hygienic conditions are not the best and the high number of medical personnel is rather a theoretical number, since a lot of doctors are working abroad. Also the availability of important medication can drop when you leave the major cities. This includes among others antibiotics but as well for example simple anti-mosquito-sprays. So we advise you to take rather more than fewer medications and expect the worst, even if this means that you have to reserve quite a lot of space and weight in your luggage. However, at the end of your travel you can (better you should) give the medication that you did not use to people in need or immediately to a hospital. The free space can be easily filled up with souvenirs 🙂
So we suggest you to basically cover every possible case, but what exactly should you take? Here you will find a list of the most important heath issues including the medication we took for a three weeks round trip through Cuba with a kid. To make the list easier to read, it is sorted according to the location of the health issue, starting at the top. At the end, general (hygienic-) items are listed. Medications marked with asterisks are appropriate for babies under 2 years and underlined medications are safe for breastfeeding mums (PLEASE CHECK IT ONE MORE TIME WITH YOUR DOCTOR).
Lots of the medication for kids can be easily prescribed by your paediatrician and taken from the pharmacy for free (at least that is the case in Germany). All other needed medication we bought online. We were running out of time with preparations, so for the first time we tried an online pharmacy. Our travel medical kit we ordered from the Deutsche Internet Apotheke. It turned out to be a good decision. No only to they have the broadest offer but as well a special section with travel medication, where all the meds are in small packages. Really practical! We loved it! And of course while going through the travel medication section, we got more tips on what we still need to take. We had a few questions about the order, so we contacted the Deutsche Internet Apotheke by email. (Keep in mind: we are in the middle of packing, lacking medication for all of us and time is ticking…) All our questions were quickly answered. The staff was really understanding and made sure we get our order as soon as possible. The parcel with our travelling medication arrived soon, well packed and including everything we needed. Quick, easy, practical! That’s what travelling family needs. Thumbs up!
So here is the list with our travel mediciations.
– Painkillers: Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, *Nurofen Saft*
For Cuba you should rather take Paracetamol than Aspirin or Ibuprofen. The reason is, that in Cuba the Dengue-fever is present, a disease caused by the dengue virus transmitted by some species of mosquito. Its symptoms are high fever, headache, vomiting and muscle pains. In the worst case, it can develop into a haemorrhagic fever, resulting in inner bleedings. Since Aspirin and Ibuprofen influences your coagulation system, these inner bleedings are much harder for your body to stop or easier to occur in the first place.
– Earache: *Ototalgin*
– Nose drops / -spray: *Nasenspray Kinder*
– Cough / Cold: Sinupret, Meditonsin, *Muscosolvan Kindersaft*
– Gastro-intestinal disease / Nausea: Iberogast
– Diarrhea: Vaprino, Nifuroksazyd 200 Hasco, Smecta, Elotrans
– Urinary tract infection: Acimethin
General:
– Broad-spectrum antibiotic: Ciprofloxacin, *Cefuroxim Saft*
– Wound and Healing Ointment / Insect stings: Tyrosur, Altacet, Fenistil Gel, *Fenistil Tropfen*
– Wound disinfection: Octenisept spray
– Insect repellent: S-quitofree Spray, *S-quitofree Babys & Kids Schutzlotion*
– Sun protection: *Avène Kinder LPF 50+*, *Sundance Med Kids LSF 50+*
– Vitamin / mineral tablets (e.g. for allergic reactions): Calcium Sandox forte, Vitamin C, AscoRutiCal Forte
Hygiene / First-Aid / Miscellaneous:
– Disinfection: Stokosept Gel, Disinfection spray
– Plasters
– Blistering plasters
– Bandages
– (Baby) wet tissues
– Contact lenses
– Disposable sterile syringes (in Cuban medical facilities there are often only the reusable glass syringes available)
– Tweezers
– Disposable gloves
– Tape + cord
– Medical thermometer
Apart from that, of course you have to think about your own personal medication, such as the one for diabetics.
VERY IMPORTANT!!! WE ARE NOT DOCTORS. DO NOT TAKE ANY MEDICTION BEFORE CONTACTING YOUR DOCTOR FIRST.
More about Cuba:
How to Prepare Your Trip to Cuba
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