Africa

Cote d'Ivoire

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia.

Violent crime is on the increase as the security situation deteriorates. Do not walk around at night or use taxis. Local militia groups, weapons (various), ballistics danger areas, mines, vehicle security, personal security, ambushes, kidnappings, bandits/corruption, gunfire, legal/illegal checkpoints, armed robberies, general travel, navigation, off road driving, building/office security, hot weather injuries, personal hygiene, clothing & equipment, sanitation/sterilisation, emergency first aid, cultures/customs, communications, emergency shelters. Swimming off the coast is dangerous.

Use bottled water only - limited availability.

Mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in north-west.

Tropical along coast, semi-arid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October).

Coast has heavy surf and no natural harbours; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible.

Avian influenza, bacterial diarrhoea, bilharzia, cholera, hepatitis A, HIV/AIDS, malaria, meningitis, polio, rabies, schistosomiasis, typhoid fever, yellow fever. Toxic waste (hydrogen sulphide) dumped.
Hospital: Centre Hospitalier et Univeritaire de Cocody, Yamoussoukro. Tel: 44 9100 / 44 9038

Deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents.

Extreme caution should be exercised and strong security precautions put in place if travelling off the beaten track. All access roads to major towns in government-controlled areas are closed off 2200-0600 hours.

Hostile Environments and Emergency First Aid Training (HEFAT®) (5 days)
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