The Foreign Office has issued a warning to nearly one million tourists planning to visit Cape Verde. The latest government travel advisory has shared concerns over the country’s limited medical facilities for visitors.
The advice was updated yesterday (February 24) stating that visitors may struggle to access some medications, as “some medicines are in short supply or unavailable.”
Additionally, they have said that medical facilities across the Cape Verde islands are “basic and limited.”
The government have also said that it is essential to have travel insurance that covers local treatment or medical evaluation as the Global Health Insurance Cards (GHIC) are not accepted. Boa Vista has been explicitly mentioned by the Foreign Office as an island with limited medical facilities.
Additionally, the islands of Brava and Santo Antao have been highlighted as especially difficult for receiving medical air evacuation as neither have a working airport. The largest hospitals in Cape Verde are in Prai on Santiago and Mindelo on Sao Vicente, reports the Daily Star.
Clinica Boa Esperanca on Boa Vista and Clinitur on Santa Maria are both smaller hospitals but have English-speaking staff. Further foreign office advice states that the legal status and regulations of some medicines prescribed throughout the UK can be different in other countries.
When it comes to purchasing medication in Cape Verde, you will only be able to do so from a registered pharmacy.
For those travelling with medication, it’s crucial to pack enough to last the entire trip. If you find yourself running low, a UK prescription can be used at a pharmacy, although the exact strength or dosage may not be available.
A comprehensive list of Cape Verde’s registered pharmacies, approved by the Ministry of Health, is accessible here.