The Clínic hospital will put into operation a mobile phone application to continuously monitor the user who is traveling through countries with tropical diseases. This digital platform, called Famba, will be operational in a few weeks.

Between 30% and 50% of travelers present some symptom of disease on tours through tropical and subtropical countries. According to José Muñoz, head of the International Health Service at the Clínic and an ISGlobal researcher, the need to be able to monitor those affected was identified more than a decade ago.

Through the new application, the patient will be able to consult and receive health advice on minor and frequent health incidents such as diarrhoea, skin lesions or headaches. “Even if the person is hospitalized, we can go see the analyzes and accompany them,” explained Muñoz. “It is a very accompanying service, patient counseling when he is away; in Cambodia, Brazil, South Africa or wherever, to try to help him as much as possible”.

This doctor maintains that you should not stop traveling due to the health peculiarities of certain countries, but urges you to obtain detailed information on the health situation of each destination. After the paralysis caused by the pandemic, it predicts a significant increase in movements this season, to exceed pre-covid levels.

Between 7% and 10% of visitors from countries with tropical diseases will require specialized medical attention upon their return. According to Muñoz, the main symptom they present is fever, caused by imported infectious diseases such as malaria or dengue, caused by mosquito bites. Traveler’s diarrhea is mainly acquired on expeditions to Asian countries, and skin lesions are also in the group of frequent consultations.

The Clínic, a reference center in international medicine through the International Traveler Assistance Service (SAVI) cares for more than 21,000 travelers a year (a figure that fell by 70% during the pandemic) and administers nearly 20,000 vaccines. Waiting for the demand to skyrocket – between April and August the professional staff doubles – Dr. Muñoz urges travelers to go through the service a month before departure.

The reestablishment of international mobility coincides with the inauguration of a new space at the Clínic that integrates the SAVI and the Adult Vaccination Center in a 350-square-meter facility on the ground floor of Casanova street in Barcelona, ​​opposite the main façade from the Faculty of Medicine of the UB. The new facilities have a space for the care of patients with suspected highly communicable diseases.

“In this new stage, the SAVI has a more innovative model -indicates the Clinic-, with an important digital component (telemedicine), and focused on what we call ‘continuum of care’; that is, it offers specialized healthcare throughout the entire travel experience, from preparation, during (through the Famba digital platform) and after the trip”.