Thursday, July 10, 2014

Dog Bite and the cost of rabies vaccine in Cambodia


Filipinos are almost everywhere nowadays, and I always look forward to meeting my fellows in every city I go to, especially those not so popular in the OFW glossary.

I was so tired to go out the first night, as I have been travelling the whole day from Singapore without any sleep. The next day, I received a message from one of the Pinoys in Phnom Penh asking me if i'd be interested in meeting the other kababayans.

So, after meeting 2 other travellers I was with back in Koh Lanta, Thailand, I went immediately to them.

A few glasses of beer and it was turning midnight. Then again, out of the group, there were about 2 who don't have work the next day and were keen on drinking some more.

I was just as keen since it's not very so often that I get to practice my tagalog. 

Meantime, one of the guys had spare gin left at home, and suggested that we proceed with drinking at their apartment instead. They've also offered to drop me back to my hostel, as the place is a little distant, and I am as novice.

We entered the room, and I was hearing some commotion on one of the bedrooms. Then, they opened the door, it was a dog.

The dog came sniffing at one by one and took a little more time on me. Then, once in a while, the dog would come back, and i'd rub his back too.

It took us about close to 2 hours to finish the bottle, and just when we thought it was quite late, and there's nothing left to drink, we said to call it a night. 

The dog came to our back, and i hugged him back again to say goodbye. Then, suddenly it bit me.



His fang sunk way too deep, and then blood came out; I washed it and we left. I think I was too drunk to worry at that time; I think I finished half the bottle of gin in the table.

I woke up a little late the following day since I was up until so late. I was feeling my arm, and read a bit about rabies; Although I was affirmed that several others were bitten before and did not get vaccine and no contraction of rabies, i thought it was not worth the risks. There's so more many places i'd like to see and I did not want to risk anything.

I looked for where it could be cheapest to get the vaccine, and there seems to be a non profit organization in Phnom Penh especially for rabies. Their center is also very close to where I stayed.

It was about 4pm, and I was hurrying to catch them before they close. There was a heavy rain, but didn't bother; Each shot was worth $26, and i will need about 4 shots all in all. There was the option of either getting 2 shots that day, or getting one, and another after 3 days. I thought the first one was ok, as it is inconvenient to be going back and forth the center for the vaccine. Plus, to finish all four shots, if i do the second option, it'll take a month, and I don't want to spend the duration of my visa in Phnom Penh. 







So, it was an instant $52 that day just for that shot. The doctor was kind enough to print details of a center in Siem Reap (where I am expecting myself to be in by the time I will need the next shot) where I can go to.

Then again, I did not go to siem reap because $20 per day to see the temples was just so much, and I heard it's too touristy. Instead, I went to Kampot, and when I got there, there is a Hospital that offers the vaccine; In fact, in their pharmacy, the vaccine itself costs only $13 (which I hoped was what the center would have charged since they claim to be a non profit organization; besides, they would have probably gotten it for a cheaper price; the difference of which they could use to cover up their operational expenses; But to charge twice, is almost as good as a profitable business).




This post is part of the #limbonisASIA tripSee link for more stories, detailed expenses and itinerary

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