Health and safety
Suriname is located
out of the hurricane-zone and doesn't know natural disasters as earthquakes,
bushfires, floods and storms.
Avoid serious sunburn, build up a suntan gradually.
You don't have to be afraid of catching any dangerous tropical disease
in Suriname but be careful if you are going into the interior as malaria
is always a cause for concern and should be taken very seriously.
Surinam has the purest drinking water right from the tap. (naturally filtered
through sun bleached white savannah sand)
A vaccination against yellow
fever is compulsory. Some Health Departments advise that you also get
vaccinated against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, and Hepatitis
A.
An anti-malaria prophylactic
is strongly recommended when you visit wilderness areas.
Inquire by tropical medicine
divisions of the Department of Public Health in your country as to what
medications are available locally.
Use common
sense and be street smart while travelling. Better
to be safe than sorry.
Suriname is basically an
easy going and non-violent society. Society is harder than it was a generation
ago, but it is still exceptionally friendly and remarkably safer than
in most countries in the region.
Between Albina and Mungo
in the eastern distrikt of Suriname, travellers from French Guiane have
been robbed in june 1999. Ask your local touroperater for information.
You should, nevertheless,
take the same normal safety precautions you would take in any vacation
spot. In obvious places, like the Central Market in Paramaribo and at
bus stops, there may be pickpockets, but purse-snatchers are rare.
Watch out for drugabuse.
The Surinam justice department does not differentiate between soft and
hard drugs.
Women
Despite the prevailing lady killer/pick-up culture, as a woman alone
or with a friend can walk around relaxed in Suriname. Many men consider
flirting a game. They often behave provocatively but they are not aggressive
or pushy towards strangers. Mostly they limit attracting attention by
making a psssshhht - noise, between their teeth and pursed lips or they
call out a Dutch girl's name. The odd one may use course language or try
to touch girls. Ignore unwanted advances and show clearly if you think
that the man goes too far. Avoid noisy environments during the day such
as bars where only men visit. You will soon feel like a window display
and will be subjected to showing off and valuations being made about your
looks and figure and your willingness to have contact. At parties many
men often dance very close to their partner whereby they often cause embarrassment
by bringing their lower body tightly against hers. If they cannot be held
at arm length then suggest that you dance separately.
Other Precautionary Measures
Never drink water out of a river that is inhabited upstream in that
region.
Boil your drinking water or use water-purifying tablets first.
Be sure to do this especially in the dry season, as the water level is
low.
Be careful when having sexual contact because of the risk of being infected
with the HIV virus.
For those who are prone to sunburn, it would be better to stay out of
the sun for the first few days. If you really want to sun bathe then do
so in the morning before ten o'clock or in the afternoon after four o'clock
and use a good sun cream. In the shade you will also get a tan from the
ultra violet rays. During a journey in an open korjaal (dugout canoe),
keep your arms and legs covered and wear a hat. If you get diarrhoea,
due to the change in food, then usually a dose of Norit is sufficient
to cure it.
Wash fresh fruit and vegetables and do not eat any food if you are not
sure about the hygiene or if it tastes bad.
Fungal infections and scabies, actually rare in Suriname, can best be
avoided by taking at least one shower a day and drying yourself properly.
Hospitals in Paramaribo
In spite of the shortage of medical personnel and medicines, those
with foreign currency have good help at their disposal. Be sure to ask
for a specified receipt after treatment. Tourists who are treated in the
causality department are asked to pay cash in advance.
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