Medical Travel - Precautions You Need to Take

There are fewer regulations, regarding health in India, applicable to foreign tourists. These regulations are more of the nature of prevention than anything else.

* WHO website for International Travellers.

* WHO India

Yellow Fever

Any person (including infants) arriving by air or sea without a certificate can be detained in isolation for a period up to 6 days if arriving within six days of departing from an infected area or has been in such an area in transit, or has come by aircraft which has been in an infected area and has not been disinfected in accordance with Indian Aircraft (Public Health) Rules, or those recommended by WHO. Various countries in Central and South America and Africa are regarded as being infected, enquire at the concerned Indian Mission for an up to date list. When a case of yellow fever is reported from any country, that country is regarded by Government of India as infected with yellow fever and is added to the above list.

Malaria

Malaria risk exists throughout the year in the whole country excluding parts of the states of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Sikkim. No certificate is required, but a course of anti malaria pills is recommended for all travellers to India.

Protect yourself from insects by remaining in well-screened areas, using repellents (applied sparingly at 4 hour intervals), and wearing long sleeved shirts and long pants from dusk through dawn.

Cholera

Travelers proceeding to countries that impose restrictions for arrivals from India or from an infected area in India on account of cholera are required to possess a certificate. In any case, an inoculation against cholera is recommended.

General Tips

* Drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes. If this is not possible, make water safer by both filtering through an