Facilities and Health Information
Medical facilities in Gabon's major cities are limited, but may be adequate for routine or basic needs. Medical services in rural areas are either unavailable or of very poor quality. Additionally, some medicines are not available; you should carry your own supply of properly-labeled medications to cover your entire stay. For medical emergencies in Libreville, the emergency room at El Rapha Polyclinic, a private clinic, can be reached at 07-98-66-60, and an ambulance can be requested through them. You must speak French when calling this phone number.
Cerebral malaria is endemic in all areas of Gabon. Travelers should discuss prophylaxis with a physician well before planned travel as some prophylactic medications must be started two weeks before arriving in a malarial zone. Even with prophylaxis you should familiarize yourself with the symptoms of malaria and seek medical treatment immediately if you experience symptoms.
Tap water may not be potable and you should drink and cook with bottled water only. Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is endemic to Gabon.
Tuberculosis (TB) is an increasingly serious health concern in Gabon.
Drinking Water Source - % of rural population improved
63%
Drinking Water Source - % of total population unimproved
7.8%
Drinking Water Source - % of urban population improved
96.800000
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
5.2%
Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population
6.3
People Living with HIV/AIDS
46,000
Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population
.2
Sanitation Facility Access - % of total population unimproved
58.6%
Sanitation Facility Access - % of urban population improved
42.900000
Sanitation Facility Access - % of rural population improved
32%
Infectious Diseases - degree of risk
Very high
Animal Contact Disease (s)
rabies
Food or Waterborne Disease (s)
bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne Disease (s)
malaria and dengue fever
Water contact disease (s)
schistosomiasis