Consulate General of the United States Yekaterinburg, Russia

• If an American citizen becomes seriously ill or is injured abroad, a U.S. Consular Officer can assist in locating appropriate medical services and informing family or friends. If necessary, a consular officer can also assist in the transfer of funds from the United States . However, payment of hospital and other expenses is the responsibility of the traveler.
• Before going abroad, learn what medical services you health insurance will cover overseas. If your health insurance policy provides coverage outside the United States , Remember to carry both your insurance policy identity card as proof of such insurance and a claim form. Although many health insurance companies will pay "customary and reasonable" hospital costs abroad, very few will pay for your medical evacuation back to the United States . The Social Security Medicare Program does not provide coverage for hospital or medical costs outside the U.S.
• To facilitate identification in case of an accident, complete the information page on the inside of your passport providing the name, address and telephone number of someone to be contacted in an emergency.

Medical Care in Yekaterinburg

Should you require ambulatory care the local emergency number is 03. In Yekaterinburg, you may dial (343) 29-82-28 to reach an English-speaking ambulance dispatcher Russian medical professionals have little experience dealing with Western medical insurance companies and may demand cash for their services. You should consult your insurance carrier to be certain that your coverage is valid in Russia and that you will be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses.  Information about hospitals and health care providers in Yekaterinburg and other major cities can be found in the following pdf file (PDF 79K).

Medical Evacuation

The Consulate urges all American citizens resident in the Urals and Western Siberia to consult with their insurance carriers to make certain that they are covered for medical evacuation to Western Europe or the U.S. For general information only, one major medical assistance company provided the following quotes for medical evacuation to Helsinki . Depending on individual needs, costs often far exceed those listed here.  The U.S. Consulate assumes no responsibility for the quality or reputation of services offered by the companies listed.

List of Medical Evacuation Companies (PDF 13K)

List of Medical Evacuation Rates (PDF 5K)

General Health Information

This information is based on the environmental reports received from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow 's Regional Medical Officer.

Food Sanitation
According to sampling taken of foods from the local market in Yekaterinburg in November 1993 which both Moscow and FDA labs tested for pesticides, heavy metals and radiation, most foods were within acceptable ranges. Two sources of potential concern were mercury in fish and lead in canned squash, although both were within FDA maximum acceptable ranges. Dried mushroom samples exceeded acceptable FDA radiation levels and should be avoided. Local fish and cheese samples were in range II of FDA concern regarding strontium levels and should be avoided; imported cheese does not pose a problem. Bread samples were the only product found to contain any detectable level of pesticide and these were below FDA tolerance levels. However, recent bread samples have been contaminated with insect debris. Locally available fruits and vegetables may be contaminated with disease-causing bacteria, viruses, or parasites. In addition, many of these items may also have been recently treated with pesticides.

Recommendations for food decontamination:

• Scrub all the vegetables and fruits with a brush.
• Wash items with filtered water and soap to remove dirt.
• Soak produce in a disinfecting solution.

Household bleach (5% chlorine) is the most commonly available disinfecting agent for food and food contact surfaces. A correct solution for disinfection is made by adding one tablespoon of bleach to one gallon of potable water. Produce should be soaked in this solution for a minimum of 15 minutes and then rinsed thoroughly with potable water. Certain foods that are difficult to disinfect, such as leafy vegetables and those with an irregular surface like cauliflower and broccoli, should not be eaten raw.

Additional measures to reduce pesticide exposure from food:

• Remove the peel from fruits or vegetables.
• Trim fat from meat.
• Remove skin from fish and poultry.

Water Sanitation

Water samples collected from the Central Hotel were checked for heavy metals, pesticides and radiation. Almost all results were within EPA parameters. Arsenic levels were elevated in some samples. Elevated lead levels were also detected, though these elevations were inconsistent and thought to possibly reflect contamination of specimen containers. Municipal water shows the presence of cryptosporidium, giardia, and bacterial debris. At home disinfection of water is best accomplished by first filtering the water to remove particulates and certain organism, and then bringing the water to a rolling boil for five minutes. An alternate method of disinfecting water is to add one half teaspoon of fresh bleach (5% chlorine) to every liter of water and then waiting at least 30 minutes. If an unacceptable chlorine taste remains in the water after this treatment method, allow more time to pass before drinking or pass the water through a charcoal filter. The water in Yekaterinburg is deficient in fluoride, so parents should obtain fluoride solution or tablets supplements for children from two weeks of age until 14 years of age.

Air Pollution

Air was monitored in November 1993 over the period of six days. Air quality was reported as subjectively good. Levels of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone particulates, heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and polychlorinated biphenyls were below existing EPA standards. Arsenic, zinc, iron, and vanadium were found at levels above that typically seen in urban areas in the U.S. , but below levels associated with adverse health effects.