HIV and living in Ecuador

[manplus]

Hi,



I'm interested in retiring to Ecuador.  I'm looking to travel there later this year, but one area that will have a real impact on the possibility of this move is access to medication and healthcare.  I'd be interested in talking with anyone who is living in Ecuador.



Thanks,

MP

[Ann]

Hi Manplus, welcome to the forums!

One of our members, Valmont, lives in Ecuador - he moved there from France, if I recall correctly.

He pops in every few days and will most likely to be happy to reply to you (he's a nice guy!), but in the meantime you may learn a thing or two from his posting history. You may want to start at page seven, as posting histories are presented with the most recent posts first.

If you want to read the thread where a post of his that interests you originally appeared, click on the title of the post and it will take you to the thread.

Good luck! Ecuador is a beautiful place.

Ann

[Grasshopper]

This chap is also from Equador. I enjoy reading his blog  :

http://blogs.poz.com/juan/

[Valmont]

Hey Manplus, welcome here; yes I´m (still) living in Ecuador, Ann has a very good memory  ...

Here, if you have a visa, the National Program will consider you and give you health care for free (medical appointments, medecine, labs...) ; these health cares are basic, sometimes there are problems with the possibility to make VL and CD4 (I have to make them by my onw, sometimes), anyway, I´m happy the way my public clinic is working...

The best attention in given in the biggest cities (Quito / Guayaquil), I recommand the Enrique Garces hospital, in the south of Quito, the staff is very friendly and "our" clinic is separated from the rest of the hospital. 

The laws are also very well done in regard to confidenciality.  But as in many place in Third World countries, organization is sometimes a Little deficient (it explains why there are sometimes  shortage of medecines or reagents, but it is managable).  The medecine are generics comparable to the molecules you can find in UE or USA...

In regard to tourism matter, you won´t have problems to travel here and bring your meds.  If you want some more specific information, don´t hesitate to write a PM to me...

I think Ecuador is a nice place for retiring, the coast is great...  Where do you plan to go? 

[Valmont]

This chap is also from Equador. I enjoy reading his blog  :

http://blogs.poz.com/juan/

Excellent link, thank you...

[xyahka]

Hello!

I just found this thread..... in case any of you are still in Ecuador and are open to make new friends let me know

cheers!!

J

[Jeff G]

Hello!

I just found this thread..... in case any of you are still in Ecuador and are open to make new friends let me know

cheers!!

J

Its a pretty old thread but maybe they will see it .

[xyahka]

Hi, i hope they see it, Ecuador is not a hot topic in here lol

wish i could meet more people in my area.

J

[Jeff G]

Hi, i hope they see it, Ecuador is not a hot topic in here lol

wish i could meet more people in my area.

J

If it makes you feel any better the forum is my primary source of support too .

[xyahka]

I know... i know this forums since i got infected 7 years ago.... it is just that sometimes it is hard to make virtual friends and never have the chance to hang out with them in real life.... at the end it adds more to the loneliness this disease give us.

well.... .... lets see..... maybe with some luck i will have some new friends to have a coffee with.

J

[Jeff G]

I know... i know this forums since i got infected 7 years ago.... it is just that sometimes it is hard to make virtual friends and never have the chance to hang out with them in real life.... at the end it adds more to the loneliness this disease give us.

well.... .... lets see..... maybe with some luck i will have some new friends to have a coffee with.

J

I am wishing you all the luck in the world ! 

[xyahka]

You are really kind, thank you

J

[Valmont]

Yes, for me also the forum is my almost my only support source....

BTW, I´m not yet in Ecuador, I moved in Canada, but miss a lot South America.  I have to reconocice that despite of everything, I´ve never felt really discriminated in Ecuador, I disclosed to a few people, meet my girl friend after my diagnostic (she is neg) and recived excellent health care in regard to what the system can give.  My doc was really really very supportive, helpful, disponible and professional.  But I´m aware that Ecuador has many different kind of realities...

In Canada (Quebec), I have many problem to get appointement to see a doc, I have to drive 400 km and take an holiday day.  I only see my doc 5-10 minutes each 6 months.  For sure, labs Works are much more detailled and easy to do.  But I feel very vulnerable if something would happen to me.  It is not the idea I had before in regard to the country...