In The Telegraph: 'I'm a doctor in Malaga — these are the tourist habits that land people in my emergency room'
Dr. Anna Bernad · · 4 min read
I was invited by The Telegraph to write about what I see every summer in the emergency department of Malaga's largest hospital — and the simple mistakes that bring holidays to an abrupt end.
It was a real honour to be asked by The Telegraph to share what my colleagues and I see every summer at the Hospital Regional Universitario, the largest hospital in Malaga. After years in that emergency department, one thing has become very clear to me: most of what walks through our doors in July and August is preventable.
What I wrote about
- Drinking and the road — unfamiliar traffic, scooters without helmets, and the myth that 'one sangria is fine' before driving.
- Falls from balconies, pools and cliffs — usually young, usually alcohol-related, and often life-changing.
- Shared towels and wet swimsuits — a surprisingly common route to urinary infections that can escalate.
- Eating unwisely — raw egg dishes, raw seafood and summer gastroenteritis.
- Sun etiquette — severe burns that sometimes need plastic surgery, because sun cream went on the face and nowhere else.
None of this is meant to frighten anyone away from the Costa del Sol — it is the most wonderful place to spend a summer. But a little preparation, a little judgement, and knowing who to call when something does go wrong is what keeps a holiday a holiday.
If you are visiting and something worries you, you do not have to wait it out or navigate an unfamiliar system alone. A same-day consultation — online or at your accommodation — is often all it takes.
