Paramaribo - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
The health care system in Suriname is not great. - Apr 2022
Local medical care is extremely limited. Pharmacies sometimes run out of very common medicines and if a specialist you need is out of the country on vacation, you might be out of luck. The Embassy has a wonderful nurse and doctor on staff that provide excellent primary care. Medevacs to Miami are common for even basic issues. - Feb 2020
The advice we received upon arriving at post was 'don't get sick'. The hospitals here are not like the US. There may or may not be the specialist you need. You're not drinking water from the tap. The mosquitoes are everywhere, including the house. Zika, dengue, and chikungunya are big risks. If you go into the interior, you're taking anti-malarials. If you hike, be sure to conduct a thorough tick-check. You HAVE to receive the yellow fever vaccine. A lot of countries in this area require proof of this vaccine if you're traveling. - Jun 2017
Don't get sick here. Medical care is hit or miss. Public health is strained pretty thin and is barely managing the current Zika outbreak. - May 2016
With 4 kids we went to the Dr. a lot, and we had some pretty frustrating and scary moments. One child had an ear infection and instead of prescribing antibiotics they wanted to just pop the 1 year old's eardrum with a needle. OB/GYN visits usually went like this. Dr: "So what do we need to do today?" Us:"You're the Dr., you tell us" Dr: "Well I don't have anything to check, do you want to do another ultrasound then?" - Dec 2014
Dengue Fever is the biggest local concern. Medical care isn't great in general so that was pretty scary with little kids. Going to the hospital and/or doctor was always a bit of an adventure. We waited to do vision/dental care until we were in the US. - Jul 2014
Dengue is in the city of Paramaribo; Malaria in the interior. - Sep 2013
There is some dengue in the city now and again, weird bugs in the jungle, heat. The medical care is less than stellar and evacs are not unheard of for major work. - Nov 2010
Dengue, malaria (if you leave the city) and various stomach bugs. The local medical care is sub par to say the least. If you have major medical issues than you don't want to come here. And always make sure it really is an emergency before you consider going to the ER. You'll likely leave worse than you went in, otherwise. On a positive note, I hear that the dentists are very clean and do good work. - Feb 2010
