Prevent UNAM diseases of travelers

• May 5, 2024

Have you ever wondered what to do or who to turn to if you travel to an unknown country and where there is usually contagion of diseases? Can you imagine that during the return flight you start to feel fever, itching or other symptoms?

The Traveler's Preventive Care Clinic (CAPV) is an ally for these problems. This mixed unit of the Research Division of the Faculty of Medicine of the UNAM It is located in the upper part of Terminal 2 of the International Airport of Mexico City and is in charge of investigating, helping in complications and promoting the culture of prevention in the traveling population.

Since August 2011, it has staff that provides assistance to the university community and the general public during the 365 days of the year. They have served more than 100 thousand travelers. Of these, 50% visit destinations that represent high risk in the acquisition of diseases, and almost the same percentage of patients go because it requires treatment against malaria or malaria.

Jorge Baruch Díaz Ramírez, responsible for the Clinic , said that in Mexico there are no figures that indicate what travelers get sick or what habits they have to prevent their health.

Therefore, one of its objectives is to know the migratory flow patterns of both nationals and foreigners, the prevention measures they take, the type of diseases they acquire during the trip and the complications that may arise due to not having a culture of the preventive medicine of the traveler.

Nowadays it is possible to travel long distances in a very short time. This benefit, however, implies some risks in terms of health. For example, it is feasible for a traveler to contract a disease before entering the aircraft, develop it during the flight and export it to the country to which it is directed. Therefore, prevention in health matters should be part of the trip planning.

The attention provided at the Clinic is directed to three areas: travelers who come before the service; those who fall ill during the trip and to whom advice is given via email or telephone; and travelers who become ill after returning to Mexico and who, depending on the type of complication, are referred to other hospital units.

The services offered are preventive medical consultations, advice and monitoring during the trip, issuance of international certificates for the transport of medicines and personal health devices and vaccination, among others.

When travelers return to the country there are three mechanisms by which travel-related illnesses can be detected: the first is the health frontier that is in charge of International Health; the second is at the Traveler Clinic where people who feel sick or who went before it; the third is through hospitals and the entire health service in Mexico.

Dr. Baruch Díaz commented that every day at the Clinic there is an epidemiological monitoring worldwide of all the diseases and outbreaks that are happening at that moment.

Finally, the doctor affirmed that the CAPV is subscribed to the International Society of Traveler Medicine , body responsible for regulating this area of ​​knowledge throughout the world. In Mexico, the first doctors in this specialty will be certified, which is governed by the academic precepts of said world institution.