Choice Healthcare Services

Before you travel

• Before you set out to travel anywhere in the world, check the health requirements for your destination. Look at the potential risks and plan the precautions you need to take both before you go and once you are away. These will depend not only on the countries you may be visiting but which parts, for how long, at what time of the year, and where you will be staying. Camping, for example, presents different potential health problems to staying in a hotel. And there may be special immunisation requirements if you plan to enter a European Economic Area country from a non-EEA state.
• You should seek immunisation well in advance (preferably at least two months) of your departure.
• Choice Healthcare Services is a registerted Yellow Fever Centre that provides full travel vaccination service
• Some vaccines cannot be given at the same time. Some take time to be effective. Immunisation against Hepatitis B, for example, can take six months to give full protection. However, see our Health Adviser even if you are going at short notice - some protection may be better than none.We will need to know where you are going, if you are or may become pregnant and if you are taking children with you. This is particularly important if they have not had their full course of childhood immunisations.
• If you need anti-malaria medication our Nurse Practitioner will advise on which is most appropriate. You should start taking the medication a week before departure.

Existing medication conditions and medication

• Keep written records on your person of any medical condition affecting you, such as angina pectoris, diabetes and haemophilia, and the proper names - not just the trade names - of any medication you are taking.

Carry a first aid kit

• A packet of adhesive dressings, some insect repellent, antiseptic cream and water-sterilisation tablets will take up little space and could be useful.

Emergency Travel Kits

• These contain a variety of sterilised and sealed items of equipment, such as syringes, needles and suture materials, and may be purchased through a pharmacist, private medical centre, or from a number of other suppliers. They should normally be handed to a doctor or nurse for use in a medical emergency in a country where the safety of such items cannot be assured.

Advice for Backpackers

• This advice identifies a few key points you should consider in advance of your trip - it is not comprehensive.
• Backpacking refers to self-organised trips, which usually involve travelling on foot or public transport and staying in simple cheap accommodation. This can expose travellers to additional health risks. The term 'backpacker' is now not very specific since traditional 'backpack' or rucksack is now often used by other groups of travellers including those on organised holidays and expeditions.
• Beware of the risk of accidents. Accidents are very common when trekking and also when travelling on poor roads in badly maintained vehicles. Motorcycling can be extremely hazardous.

Contamination of food and water

• This is a major cause of illness in travellers in particular travellers' diarrhoea. Unless certain of the purity of the local water supply, stick to boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks. Alternatively, water can be sterilised with iodine drops/tablets or with a quality filter. Dishes and cutlery should ideally be washed with sterilised water. Hot tea coffee, bear and wine are usually safe.
• Ensure that milk has been pasteurised and that cheese, cream and ice cream are made from milk that has been pasteurised. Peel all fruit, eat only cooked vegetables and avoid salads. Ensure that seafood, fish and meat are thoroughly cooked and eaten hot whenever possible. Avoid leftovers.Wash hands before eating or handling food and always after using the toilet.

Mosquito other insect and animal bites

• These can be minimized through wearing suitable clothing, using repellents and a mosquito net. Do not approach stray dogs that are frequently not friendly as at home.

Unsafe Sex

• Particularly, but not exclusively, unsafe sex with commercial sex workers will put travellers at risk of serious infections including HIV.

A comprehensive First Aid Kit is important

• You should consider including something for simple diarrhoea, sufficient anti-malarial tablets, possibly a antibiotic, and emergency malarial treatment if going to areas remote from medical facilities.