If you get sick while on vacation in Mexico, you'll likely see your hotel doctor. A consultation with such a specialist will cost $100 or more, depending on the «severity» your case. Because you are a visitor to a state that probably has health insurance, and because you have no one else to turn to.
But if you live in Mexico, you know that the easiest and cheapest way to purchase a consultation is with a doctor — go to the nearest pharmacy. Almost every large chain pharmacy and the pharmacies of many supermarkets (Farmacias del Ahorro, Farmacias Similares, Farmacias Benavides, Walmart, etc.) have so-calledconsultorios medicosor justconsultorios, where a doctor sees you during working hours.
Pharmacy doctors accept everyone: Mexicans and foreigners, guests of countries, children and adults… Knowledge of the language is desirable, but no one will judge you for explaining it on your fingers.
It is often allowed to hear advice: «Contact only licensed experts». So, all doctors who see in pharmacies — both licensed and certified, at the same time they can work in parallel in public and private clinics, regularly improve their qualifications and pass tests for professional aptitude.
Of course, you should consult a pharmacy doctor only in simple cases: high fever, sore throat, minor injury, skin rash. Even if you just don’t know which expert you need, start a consultation with a pharmacist. He will direct you to other experts whom you yourself will spend a long time looking for.
Zika fever is caused by a flu-like virus and is transmitted through mosquito bites. It often scares Western visitors, but it is not a rare disease in Mexico. Any pharmacy doctor will recognize Zika and prescribe treatment.
He will prescribe you medications that can be purchased at the same pharmacy. Should I buy prescribed medications — It's up to you to decide. Many people complain that in Mexico they prescribe antibiotics for any reason. This does not depend on the qualifications of the doctor. This is the general principle of Western medicine: quickly stabilize the condition with radical means, and then select treatment.
Mexican pharmacies sell antibiotics only by prescription. If you needprescription for antibiotics, also go to the pharmacist! Some generally believe that doctors at pharmacies are there to write prescriptions for prescription drugs using a simplified procedure.
The biggest advantage of consulting a pharmacist is its low cost. Standard reception rate — about 50 MXN ($2.5), and in many pharmacies consultations are free for Mexicans. Measuring blood pressure will cost 20-25 MXN, simple blood tests — and those are not more expensive than 100 MXN. Even a couple of stitches will cost no more than $4-5. No one will force you to undergo unnecessary tests and buy unnecessary medications. Insurance is not accepted, payment by cards — most often the same, only cash. If you need advice from a more serious expert, you will be given an initial examination sheet for him.
In general, the level of medicine in Mexico is quite high, even in the simplest hospitals and pharmacies. Should I go to such a doctor — It's up to you to decide. But in many cases this is the simplest solution.
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