The Boquete (not for tourists!) Handbook

The process of getting your Carnét de Salud ( Permiso para manejar Alimientos) – Boquete 2011

BCP, who run the Tuesday market, has advised that everyone who sells food or food/produce related products must have their (if more than one person on the table) carnet by Sept 2011. Here is how you go about it, it’s not hard, just time consuming!

Go to the Centro de Salud (next to Romero’s). Speak to the first window (on the left, hopefully someone will be behind the window) If you do not speak good Spanish, TAKE someone who does!

Tell them you are applying for your carnet de salud (permiso) and need your examinations form (for blood/stool tests). They will give you TWO forms – a white one and a blue one. They should give you a  stool sample jar,(un envase) if they don’t, ask for one.

You will be directed to go around the corner in that building to see the nurse, who will take your forms and ask for your vaccination record. If you don’t have it with you, you can say you will bring it to the Dr later. The nurse will certify the forms and tell you to go to the polyclinic to have the exams done.

Take both the Blue and white forms (exam results) to the OTHER health clinic , the POLYCLINIC opposite the bomberos, half a block south of the Centro de Salud.

Go into the PolyClinic – there will be many, many other people there. Don’t be frightened! You are looking for the line at the back of the room ( on the right hand side as you walk into the room) where people are registering for their various appoinments. Go there and hand your forms to the lady behind the window. Also give her you stool sample (wait until she asks!). Once you are signed in, she will tell you to go to the caja (cashiers) and pay your exam fees – $6.00.

Go to the Caja and pay you exam fees, a few windows up from where you were.

Take this back to the exam sign-in lady. Give her the receipt.

Then go to another line outside the little glass box type stall a few steps away from the registration line. This is where the blood drawing people live. Get in line there and wait until you are called. Take a book or something to amuse you. There will be a lot of pregnant people in front of you.

After having blood drawn, go have lunch (and maybe a drink!)

Now is the time to organize both your dental check and you pap test(ladies), protate ( men) results. If you have been to the dentist recently, go to them and tell them you need a simple statement of a clean, healthy mouth ( they will know what its for) . There is usually no charge for this.

If you have had your pap/prostate tests within the last year, those results are valid and can be used.

Organize your docs. If you need a pap/protate test one done, you can get either of these quickly and inexpensively at Dr Chen’s clinic across from MELO. A very nice young locum Dr (who looks about 15) will do them with little fuss. The results will be available the next day ( $24.00)

Go back to the POLYCLINIC the day after the blood/stool tests and pick up the results.

Once you have your -

Blood/stool test results

Pap/prostate results

Dental check

Take all of these PLUS your vaccination history back to the Centro de Salud on either a MONDAY or WEDNESDAY early – about 7.30am and try to get the dentist/s to check your dental check.( Cost is 0.50c)

NB-You cannot proceed until you have this. You will be given a small, long skinny form. This will be signed by the dentist and THEN you are looking for a signature from the Dr on duty (probably Dr Pedro ) at the Centro de Salud who will give you a quick physical and review all your docs. The review costs $0.50c.

Now if you get exhausted during all this, and trust me, you will somewhere along the line…because this is only one page of notes but the actual process took about 3  to 4 weeks…while you are waiting for all the tests etc, go and schedule your kitchen inspection with Snr Juan Pablo who’s office is in the back of the Centro de Salud.

Snr Juan Pablo is the short, balding man who came to the BCP to tell us about the Carnét. He is very nice and relaxed and is in charge of the health dept inspections for Boquete. He will give you a date for your kitchen inspection and then you will meet him outside the Centro de Salud and take him to your cocina. Do not panic about the inspection, it’s quite brief and not a big deal. Make sure the place is clean and tidy, no animals inside, tiled splash backs in the kitchen , roof not falling in , screened windows in the kitchen (very important it seems) …hot water in the kitchen too. Just make sure it all looks good and be very friendly. Offer the inspectors a drink ( no it’s not bribery , its manners).

Once you have had your house inspection and all your tests, done your physical with Dr Pedro and you have the long skinny form signed by both the dentist and Dr Pedro, take the form to the caja in the Centro de Salud and pay $1.00.

Go have two carnet head shots taken at the print shop down from the Bistro and REAL recycling- $3.00

Take -

• your signed medical form
• receipt for $1.00 from the Centro de Salud
• 2 headshots

to the Admin Office next to/in front of Snr Juan Pablo’s office. Ask/beg Snra. Isabella for your card. She speaks English,so no swearing. If you are selling Food, you will have to schedule your CHARLA with Snr Juan Pablo BEFORE you get your card. This is a full day program and it will be in Espanol.

There…now was that too bad???

As in all things be cheerful ( or at least try!) and Hope for the best!!!