Travel Health

Millions of people from UK travel abroad every year for vacation or business purposes and it is a common that many forget that many places do not have easy access to medical treatments and facilities as in the UK. Therefore it is crucial that one knows the health risks while travelling and also the prevention in case one has a complication. The following things have to be kept in mind:
Medicines to avoid becoming ill when abroad
What should one do if one becomes ill when abroad,
In case of emergency, whom to contact for medical treatment,

Facts

The people of UK can get an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) that helps you get medical treatment at reduced or free cost in an EEA (European Economic Area) country or in Switzerland. European Economic Area included all the European countries, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway. EHIC has five years validity and covers many treatments that are important during accident and illness. It should be noted that the EHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance and therefore it is advisable that one has travel insurance along with the EHIC. All the residents of UK only are entitled to the EHIC and it does not include the UK nationals who are going to live abroad.

Risks

There are many risks of travelling overseas and one may get infectious diseases or even food poisoning. Some of the common diseases are:

Malaria – It is a disease caused by a parasite and is got my mosquito bites. It is common in Africa and other tropical countries but there have been few cases of malaria in UK too. Some of the countries where malaria is a serious problem are African countries, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, east Asian countries, Central America and parts of South America. Malignant malaria is a severe type of malaria and can cause the failure of the kidneys if left untreated.

HIV AIDS – AIDS is a global plague and has spread all over the world. It is estimated that more than 39 million people are infected by the virus. Although, there is no cure presently, there are drugs to slow the process. The countries largely affected by HIV AIDS are African countries, Burma, Thailand, Russia, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Guyana, Belize, Haiti, Suriname, The Dominican Republic and Honduras.

Sunburns and Heatstroke – Sunburns are caused due to the skin getting exposed to UV radiation from sun. If one is travelling to a warm country from cold country like the UK then one is likely to get sunburnt. Severe sunburn can cause blisters, sores and can also increase the risk of cancer. Heatstroke is a condition when the body gets heated up quickly and it can lead to hyperthermia, fever, dry and red skin. Extreme condition can damage the kidney, liver and brain.

Prevention

Sunburns and Heatstroke –
Some tips to prevent sunburns and heatstroke are:

• Make sure the skin is covered so that less skin is exposed to sunlight
• Use creams to protect the skin from the sun
• Use the sun screen lotion 30 minutes before going out
• Fog and cloud do not protect you from UV rays
• Wear sunglasses that protect you from UVA and UVB
• Drink plenty of water and other liquid drinks

HIV AIDS – The best prevention is to use a condom when having sex.

Malaria – This can be prevented by using repellents and wearing long sleeved clothes.