Vaccination against hepatitis  A and B, rabies, diphtheria, TB and tetanus is recommended before arrival.

All water should be regarded as being a potential health risk, due to high levels of bacteria. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. In restaurants, ask for bottled water, and make sure that any ice in the drinks has been made from bottled water. Many varieties of bottled water are available; you'll see brands from Turkey, Iran, even Dubai. The "Barjom" brand of bottled mineral water comes from Georgia. Azeris are proud of a local water called "Badamli". Some parts of Baku have their own water supply from natural mineral springs  in Sholar,  originating more than 150 kms north in the Caucasus mountains. This channel was built by oil baron Taghiyev at the beginning of the century. Bottled water of Sholar is available nowadays, too. A joint-stock company named Apsheron Regional Water Supply has been created and it's hoped that it will contribute to the improvement of the quality of Baku's water supply.

Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.
 

Beaches: According to the Republic's Centre for Hygiene and Epidemiology, the conditions of the Caspian beaches around Baku are not satisfactory, because of high bacterial content. A 'Baku Bay Cleansing Project' is underway. Beware of excessive sun exposure. Malaria risk, exclusively in the benign vivax form, exists during the summer in southern lowland areas of Azerbaijan, near the Iranian border (map below). Sporadic cases have also been reported in the Baku suburbs. A weekly dose of 300 mg of chloroquine is the recommended prophylaxis for risk areas only. Mosquitos are abundant, so take repellent with you. Map of malaria risk in Azerbaijan, compiled by the World Health Organization: Diphtheria occurs. Cases predominantly occur in urban areas, but increasing numbers have  been reported in rural areas. Shortages of vaccine, antibiotics and diphtheria antitoxins are contributing to the problem. While proof of diphtheria immunity is not required for travel,  travellers  should be up-to-date for diphtheria immunization. Hepatitis B is considered to be endemic in Azerbaijan, where between 4% and 7% of the population suffers from the disease. It causes inflammation of the liver and leads to chronic illness or death.

Major Causes of Death per 100.000 population (1994) Circulatory system diseases 336.3 Accidents, poisoning and violence  99.1 Malignant Neoplasms (cancer) 67.6 Respiratory system diseases 31.7 Infectious and parasitic diseases  29.0 Endocrine and metabolic disorders  14.2 Nervous system diseases 12.1   Physicians: 29.000 - 1 per 256 persons Hospital beds: 74.000 1 per 100 persons

 

Clinics in Baku

Baku has a wide network of state run clinics and hospitals, there are also several private clinics. The central hospital is on Parliament street, but frequently for major interventions, child birth, etc. expats prefer to go abroad. The clinics most popular with expats are:
 

German Medical Centre Rashid Behbutov Street 30  370000 Baku  Tel: +994 12 937 354 / 934 089  Fax: +994 12 939 644  e-mail: aeasos.baku@ans-dx.com	Turkish-American Medical Centre 41/47 Mardanov Gardashlary Street  Tel/Fax: +994 12 941 823 / 973 784  e-mail: tams@azeuro.net
Western Medical Services 66 Alibey Guseynzade Street Baku  Tel: +994 12 973 744 Fax: +994 12 973 744	Medi Club 45 U. Hajibeyov Street  Tel: +994 12 970 911/12  Fax: +994 12 987 096  e-mail:ulvia@azeri.com

 
 

Pharmacies in Baku

There are numerous pharmacies in the Baku, most of them have numbers instead of names. Some medication may not be available in Azerbaijan, and in some cases the names are different from those in the European Union. Beware of fakes!! It's not difficult to get something over the counter without a prescription. In Baku you can also easily find herbal remedies. A few pharmacies are listed below:
 

Pharmacy Novruz 13 Mukhtarov  Tel: 924952  Pharmacy Orkhan 4 Mirkasimov  Tel: 956817  Pharmacy Tabib 82 Inglab Tel: 906926  Pharmacy nr. 1 25 S. Efimov  Tel: 952853  Pharmacy nr. 2 34 Azadlig av.  Tel: 405378  Pharmacy nr. 4 54, 28 May  Tel: 932145  Pharmacy nr. 5 93 Azadlig av.  Tel: 930560  Pharmacy nr. 6 53 Fizuli  Tel: 942914

Pharmacy nr. 11 54 Sabail  Tel: 912284  Pharmacy nr. 25 60 Narimanov av.  Tel: 395945  Pharmacy nr. 27 85 Neftchilar av.  Tel: 923985  Pharmacy nr. 35 207 S. Lazo  Tel: 689912  Pharmacy nr. 54 79 Nizami  Tel: 942818  Pharmacy nr. 274 44 Bakihanov  Tel: 403783  Pharmacy nr. 293 108 S. Vurgun  Tel: 956398  Pharmacy nr. 441 18, 28 May  Tel: 934018

Pharmacy = aptek
 

Dentists

Elay Ankara (Turkish joint-venture) 14 Zeinalabdyn Taghiyev st. Tel. 984816/7 Fax 982541

Dentist = dis hekimi
 

Specialist Hospitals

Centre of Orthopedics and Prosthetic 3 Shirvan st. Baku 370142 Tel 768146 Fax 768011 Centre for Neuro-Surgery 2 Khudi Mamedov st. Baku 370123 Tel 715202 Fax 714840 Ophtalmology Hospital 8 Sbail st. Baku Tel 911289 Fax 910892 Psychiatric Hospital 40 Suleyman Rustamov st. Baku 370007 Tel 404221 Fax 405134

Tubercolosis Hospital 12 Orujaliyev st. Baku 370002 Tel 665117 Fax 665117 Urology Hospital 4 Zargarpalan st. Baku 370001 Tel 922433 Fax 923337 Children's Clinical Hospital 42 Azerbaijan av. Baku 370000 Tel 987242 Fax 934980 Centre for Oncology 210 Sharifzade st. Baku 370112 Tel 682467 Fax 690962

Hospital =  Xëstëxana
 

Veterinary Services

Baku Veterinary Service 80 Vidadi st. Baku 370009 Tel. 944539 / 948835

Veterinary Pharmacy 151 B. Safarogy Baku Tel. 946568

Drugs (narcotics)

Drugs are very prevalent and open in Baku. Not surprising considering the geography of the country and it's neighbours¹. There is also limited local cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy.

In many of Baku's night spots it won't be difficult to understand who is dealing... furthermore the young foreigner is sometimes approached by sellers in the most unexpected locations.

Be discrete, very discrete. Although drugs are readily available, Baku is not Amsterdam and drugs are illegal even in small amounts for personal use. As a foreigner, if you are caught with drugs, expect severe police harassment and the need to pay very stiff bribes at a minimum! The quality is reputed to be good and adultered drugs are rare. Synthetic drugs shipped form Russia are also claiming their market niche.

As in Russia, drug using is a growing social problem in Azerbaijan with similar consequences in the level of criminality.
----
¹American control of Afghanistan meant that opium cultivation - used in heroin and other drugs - "is now as widespread as in the 1990s" (words of the UN International Narcotics Control Board...). Cheers for Bush Jr. and free trade...!
 

see also: food, geography, government, maps, summary, places, photos

A to Z of Azerbaijan / A dan Z ye Azerbaycan

www.azerb.com