The most frightening medical emergency I’ve encountered in years of travel abroad involved a young Frenchwoman who, as was later diagnosed, was suffering an appendicitis attack in Afghanistan. It started on a stranded bus in the middle of an empty desert. More Americans prefer traveling to remote places in the world which at times, causes some of them to suffer from life threatening sicknesses or accidents where there is limited proper medical care and sometimes none at all.
The bus filled with Afghans broke down in the middle of nowhere after a few hours out of Kandahar. A westerner companion of the Frenchwoman approached me and I could tell that she definitely was worried. Her friend was in the back seat stretched out and was in terrible pain. The weather was hot and they couldn’t do much that’s why they only applied a wet handkerchief to her friend’s forehead.
A few passengers hitched at once when they saw a truck passed but it wasn’t headed towards Kabul. A sturdy European sedan showed up at the time that the Frenchwoman was uncontrollably sobbing. A Swiss couple was in the car were good enough to bring the Frenchwomen to Kabul. After a few moments of waiting, another bus came which was able to accommodate us, including I and the remaining passengers. I was visited by the Frenchwoman’s friend the next day and she thanked me. An immediate appendectomy was performed on her friend after she and the Swiss couple called the French Embassy in Kabul to ask for help. That close call definitely shook up the friend but after that, she was fine.
The Maryland based association for safe international road travel can provide travelers with hazardous road conditions in 60 foreign countries. The reports may vary depending on the country may it be the dangers of driving at night, the likelihood of livestock on the road, bizarre driving practices of other drivers and roads that are accident prone. The lack of safety standards makes bus or car rentals risky where it is relevant.
A bus accident in Turkey killed a 25 year old Bethesda medical student which paved the way for the association to be found. The countries Egypt, Kenya, South Korea, Turkey and Morocco have the most accident prone roads according to the non-profit organization accident statistics. The list may include India but it still doesn’t provide statistics. In every country’s consular information sheets, the US State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has included road hazard information for the association has urged them quite well. Considering having a health insurance and a medical evacuation policy would be of a good thing. Payment is on you if ever you get ill or injured but in looking for a medical care, the US Embassy could take care of it. Transferring you through a helicopter from a remote place to an emergency hospital can cost you a fortune. You first have to know what kind of medical service does your health insurance cover before going abroad according to the State Department and you also have to carry an insurance policy identity card as a proof that you’re an insurance holder.
The Social Security Medicare program for senior citizens does not pay for treatment outside the United States, but coverage can be obtained through a Medicare supplement plan offered by the American Association of Retired Persons. A number of firms offer medical evacuation insurance, which usually can be purchased on per trip or annual basis. You can buy insurance directly from the company or buy it from travel agents.
The nearest US Embassy should be contacted at once if the worst is experienced. The least that the embassy could do is to give a list of local doctors or other medical facilities. Americans are assured that they will get the best medical care provided by the embassy personnel. This is true especially to most Americans who love visiting remote places. The officers see to it that victims of accident in a foreign country are properly treated in an improved facility, and that their families and relatives are contacted.
This site teaches you about cheap annual family travel insurance. When you would like to get more information on travel insurance select check out this site.