Mexico: Health and Safety Travel Guide

by Marsh Cassady

Mexico: Health and Safety Travel Guide by M.D.s Robert and Curtis Page is not the sort of book you cannot put down. However, it definitely is the sort you may want to pick up again and again, especially if you’re traveling in Mexico, or even if you live here.

The book was recently published in a second edition. I’m not familiar with the first edition, so I cannot list any changes or additions. However, I do recognize that the book, aimed at a particular niche market, could prove to be invaluable to that particular market.

The book is published by a group calling itself MedToGo, which so far as I can tell is comprised of the Pages and a group of advisers. I could find no hard information about the group itself. However, that doesn’t negate the value of the Pages book. The authors who are fluent in Spanish have done extensive research into the medical situation in Mexico. According to the mission statement in the front of the book: “...our goal is to prepare readers for travel abroad, help them recognize basic illnesses, and when necessary, ease the process of locating the best medical attention available.” This seems to me to be a fairly daunting task, requiring vast amounts of research. But for those unfamiliar with the Spanish language and for any others traveling in Mexico, it seems well worth the effort.

The book is divided into sections, all of which are fairly brief except for the last one, which lists hospitals and physicians throughout Mexico, which, with certain disclaimers in the front of the book, are listed as good possibilities for foreign travelers to contact in case of accident or illness.

The first section, of just a few pages, has a brief discussion of health care in this country. The second section, of forty-some pages, is about preparing for a trip to Mexico. It talks about the care those with chronic illnesses should take beforehand, about immunizations, health insurance, safety and so on. In addition, it discusses actual illnesses or medical conditions, including travel guidelines for those with chronic illnesses and how to recognize and prevent various problems and what to do if you suffer from these conditions from jet lag to sunburn. The third section deals with symptoms and conditions.

The fourth part, the bulk of the book is the actual directory, which comprises about 500 pages and is divided by geographic location, such as Northern Baja California and Central Pacific. Each of these lists one or more “referral cities,” which the authors define as “a city with the medical technology and personnel to address advanced trauma and cardiovascular issues.” In each of the areas, the Pages rate the medical facilities from 5/5, obviously the best with “all medical specialties” and so on to 2/5, the latter of which is “basic emergency care only.” Each section begins with a brief introduction to each geographic area. For instance, the general intro about Baja California Norte is one page in length and includes such things as whale migration, wine tasting in the Ensenada area and various scenic attractions.

The authors also discuss such things as the best ways of getting to each location, the matter of safety, and the “health care overview.” Next the Guide goes into specifics about various cities in each region, including specific hospitals and physicians. The book includes photos and bios of each of the M.D.‘s and photos of the medical facilities, in addition to information about specialties and overall treatments.

There are two appendices. First is a pharmaceutical guide, which gives both the English and Mexican names for various drugs, and second is a “translation guide” of important phrases but basic phrases to know in Spanish when needing medical attention. For example, “Me siento débil” (I feel weak) and “Necesito un médico” (I need a doctor.)

Mexico: Health and Safety Travel Guide is an excellent book. The information appears to be as complete as possible within its scope and up-to-date. It can prove to be an invaluable guide for the traveler or for a person who moves to Mexico but knows little about the medical profession and medical facilities here.

As stated earlier, the book is one that you probably will want to consult again and again. I have only two minor reservations. Of necessity, the information has to be limited or the book would become totally unwieldy. But I’m a little bothered by the fact that though the authors mention Tijuana, Ensenada, Mexicali and San Felipe in their discussion of Northern Baja, they completely snub Rosarito. There are both good English-speaking physicians here and good medical facilities. My other concern is that the by its very nature, a book of such as this can become outdated very quickly and so requires constant updating and revising.

Overall, however, the book is an excellent resource, one that I highly recommend.

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Mexico: Health and Safety Travel Guide