Emergencies are events no one wants to take place while they’re on vacations. But as the saying goes « stuff happens » and it’s better to be prepared or at least have an idea where to go and what to do in case of such an unfortunate event. In this article, we’ll see what are the most common medical emergencies experienced by visitors and where to find a doctor in El Nido.
Common Medical Emergencies in El Nido
As you’ll be traveling in a tropical zone, we’ll assume that you’re up to date with the recommended vaccinations from your home countries. If it’s not the case, you should start there and pay a visit to your doctor, who will be able to prescribe the adequate vaccines for Palawan based on the length and itinerary of your trip.
Food poisoning
One of the most common source of sickness for visitors in El Nido is food-poisoning. The town has had lots of cases of E.coli infection among its guests, and tourists are constantly reminded to be very careful about this matter. Tap water in the Philippines is not potable, and should not be used even for brushing your teeth. For the same reason, you should also avoid uncooked food (such as lettuce, etc.).
Bodily injuries
Bodily injuries are also a frequent occurence and common reason for seeking the help of a doctor in El Nido. Among the different types of medical emergencies, those caused by vehicular accidents are the most prevalent. While it’s fun to driving around Palawan on a motorbike or scooter, it’s also a pretty risky activity, both for locals and visitors. The cause of accidents are diverse: stray dogs, potholes, poor road conditions, reckless driving…
Wild Animals
Mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria are common in many region of Asia, and Palawan is no different. Since El Nido is covered with a rich biodiversity of trees, tourists are advised to bring insect repellants with them. Some hotels also offer mosquito nets. You may even take preventive treatments to avoid paludism.
Injuries caused by animals is also a source of medical consultations. A word of advice would be to avoid touching any wild-life, both underwater or on land. Some species of fish and jellyfish are dangerous, such as the lion fish, stone fish and the box jellyfish. On land, you must be aware that rabies is still epidemic in Palawan. There are cases of people getting contaminated by interacting with stray dogs: the disease is spread through blood and saliva and you can get infected with a simple lick on an open wound.
Miscellaneous
Among other medical issues encountered by travellers, we can list heatstroke, dehydration, diarrhoea, prickly heat, and skin problems. With a lot of sea-activities, drowning can also happen, especially since some beaches in El Nido have strong rip currents. That’s why tourists are always reminded to put on their life jackets when swimming and to never swim too far from the boat or coast coastlines.
Where to Find a Doctor in El Nido?
El Nido has one hospital, El Nido Community Hospital, as well a 3 local healthcare clinics: the local Rural Health Unit, Palawan Medical City and Dr. Reyes Medical Clinic. There are other projects of hospitals in development but, at the time we’re writing, only one of them is open for service.
El Nido Community Hospital
El Nido Community Hospital is the most complete healthcare facility available in the direct surroundings of El Nido. It’s located around 17 kilometres from the town center. The road to get there takes around 30 minutes in a car, and around 45 minutes in a tricycle. Click here to see El Nido Community Hospital on Google Maps.
The Rural Health Unit
The Rural Health Unit (RHU) is manned by a doctor and support medical staff, who provides health care for the municipality and its visitors. Minor surgeries and diagnosis and treatment of common diseases are some of the services offered at the RHU. El Nido’s RHU is located near the town’s municipal hall and elementary school. Click here to see the Rural Health Unit on Google Maps.
Palawan Medical City
One of the two private clinics in El Nido is the Palawan Medical City – El Nido Branch. This is a small clinic that can also attend to minor medical emergencies. Most tour operators and hotels in El Nido bring their guests here since this clinic is open 24 hours. The Palawan Medical City is located at Rizal Street and has neighbouring pensions and hotels, making it easier to find. Click here to see the Palawan Medical City in Google Maps.
Dr. Reyes Medical Clinic
The second private clinic in El Nido is the Dr. Reyes Medical Clinic, located near El Nido’s Rural Health Unit. Like the other healthcare providers in El Nido, this clinic can only attend to common medical diseases in town. Major medical concerns are then brought to the nearest hospital. Click here to see the Dr Reyes Medical Clinic on Google Maps.
Pharmacies in El Nido
Cough and cold medicines and other over-the-counter drugs, as well as a limited supply of prescription drugs, can be bought in local pharmacies. You can find a some in Corong-Corong, in El Nido town proper, as well as in Lio Beach (where there is a Mercury Drug store). We would suggest to make a search on Google Maps to see the one nearest to your location.
Note that it is still best for tourists to bring with them their own prescription medicines, as these may not be easy to find in town. If you cannot find a specific medicine in El Nido, you may try to call pharmacies in Puerto Princesa to inquire about their availability there.
What Happens to Serious Medical Emergencies?
Update: This section was written before the opening of El Nido Community Hospital. In case of a serious medical emergency, the best is probably to report there in the first place.
Like in the RHU’s situation, both the Palawan Medical City and Dr. Reyes Medical Clinic apply first aid and then send the patients to either Taytay or Puerto Princesa. Some patients are even airlifted to Manila. The Northern Palawan Provincial Hospital (NPPH) is located in the neighbouring town of Taytay, which is about 55km from El Nido. Travel time to this hospital ranges from an hour and a half to two hours. Puerto Princesa, on the other hand, is about a five to six-hour van ride from El Nido.
El Nido has a government ambulance which can take the patient to Taytay. However, once endorsed to the NPPH, it is the hospital’s discretion whether the patient can be treated in Taytay or if they need to be transferred to Puerto Princesa. Aside from the hospital’s ambulance, Taytay also has a 24/7 medical response unit which assists in transporting patients requiring immediate medical procedures. For serious medical cases that need to undergo an operation, the patient is brought to his choice of hospital in Puerto Princesa.
Air ambulances are now available in El Nido for a premium price (you can find them online). Some hotels can call them for patients needing to be transferred immediately to Metro Manila and high end hospitals. Since transport from El Nido to Puerto Princesa is tiring and time-consuming, these air ambulances offer medical evacuation and repatriation services and can leave immediately after receiving a call. However, this service is expensive, especially for tourists without travel insurance.
The Health Pack for El Nido
If you’re about to visit El Nido, what should your health pack contain? Here is our list of suggested things to bring:
- Sunscreen, preferably SPF50
- Insect repellant (tropical zone)
- Antiseptic and bandages
- An analgesic
- Anti-diarrhea, anti-nausea, and anti-vomiting medications
- Your prescription medicine
« Prevention is better than cure » and « better safe than sorry ». These phrases might sound like clichés, but if you abide by these sayings, you are sure to enjoy your stay in El Nido with a greater peace of mind. It’s always best to know where to find appropriate medical help in the places we go to – in case something happens.
Now that you know what you can do in case of medical emergencies and where to find a doctor in El Nido, you may consider all the fun activities that you can have here during your vacations. To discover all the tours and services available, you can check the online booking section of our website. And if you have any questions about your stay in El Nido and Palawan, don’t hesitate to contact us, we’ll be happy to help you plan your trip!
Indeed! Palawan is a great place and must be on your bucket list. Ive been to El Nido and spent 3 days, and Puerto Princessa and spent 5 days last year. I wish i could stay longer. LOL. I like the calm environment. So relaxing. So natural. I like the people and the cleanliness of them. But no one knows that it was the last. I mean now that there was corona virus, I’m afraid of. So the next destination if the corona virus already vanished is Coron. I heard of it but never been there.