Foreign Office points journey warning for in style vacationer hotspot, citing security issues and restricted healthcare
Tourists have been warned to get full travel insurance and ensure their medications are fully stocked before travelling to this popular island and tourist hotspot
The Foreign Office has issued a stark warning to nearly one million tourists planning to visit Cape Verde.
The latest government travel advisory highlights concerns over the country’s limited medical facilities for visitors.
The advice was updated on February 24 saying that visitors may struggle to access some medications, as “some medicines are in short supply or unavailable.” Additionally, they have warned 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. 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.
If you are travelling with medication, you should ensure you have enough to last for the duration of your trip. In the event that you run out of medication, you can use a UK prescription at a pharmacy but there is a chance you might not be able to receive the same strength or dosage.
A full list of Cape Verde’s registered pharmacies approved by the country’s Ministry of Health can be found here.
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