How to stay healthy when you are backpacking, living, studying, traveling or working abroad?

What are the main remarks about staying healthy abroad?

• Staying healthy during your trip to a foreign country is very important. For each trip you need to think what kind of medicine you have to bring and which extra measures you have to take to stay healthy.
• Vaccines are not perfect. New vaccines are constantly being released but diseases continue to evolve
• Some vaccines require a long period to take effect, but it is never too late to vaccinate
• Health risks within a country can vary from locality to locality and local authorities may be slow to announce outbreaks of disease
• Common infections contracted by travelers include those which follow contaminated food or water. Find out whether tap water and local food is safe to consume before you depart
• There are a number of mosquito-born illnesses you can contract while overseas particularly in tropical areas. Be sure to take measures to avoid being bitten such as wearing light colored, loose fitting clothing that covers your arms and legs, regularly applying an appropriate insect repellent and staying in mosquito proof accommodation.
• Travel websites, such as Lonely planet or Footprint, have useful health information as well.

How can you plan and organize that you stay healthy abroad?

• The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that all travelers should be covered from diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and polio, as well as Hepatitis B, regardless of their destination. Since most vaccines don’t produce immunity until a couple of weeks after they’re given, it is advised to visit a physician a couple of weeks before you travel.
• Make an appointment with your doctor or travel clinic to have a basic check-up and find out if any vaccinations or health checks are required at least 6-12 weeks before you depart.
• Not all travelers to countries where there is a potential risk of infection need to be vaccinated but it is important that you discuss your personal travel plans with a doctor so they can determine the correct vaccinations for your trip.

How can you travel with medicine?

• Before leaving home, you should check that your medications are legal in the country you are visiting. You can do this by contacting the country’s embassy or high commission or by looking at official websites.
• Since the National Health Act was amended in 1999, it is an offense to carry or post Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines overseas unless they are for your personal use, or the use of someone traveling with you.
• There are restrictions on the amount of PBS medicine that can be carried or sent overseas. When planning to travel overseas with PBS medicine it is important that you:
• Talk to your doctor and discuss the medicine you will need to take (if you need to take any medicine at all).
• Carry a letter from your doctor detailing what the medicine is, how much you will be taking, and stating that it is for your own personal use.
• Leave the medicine in its original packaging so it is clearly labeled with your name and dosage instructions.
• If you intend to travel with large quantities of medicine, including over-the-counter or private prescription medications, you should ask your doctor, dentist or pharmacist to provide you with a letter explaining why you need to carry such quantities.
• If you have to inject your medication it might be preferable to carry your own needles and syringes but you should check with the embassy or consulate of the country you are visiting to make sure that this is acceptable. If you buy needles and syringes while overseas, be sure that you buy packs that are sealed and sterile. If you need to carry needles and syringes with you on the plane, inform your airline before you travel and if necessary, arrange a letter from your doctor explaining why you need to carry them.
• It is important to be aware that some items purchased overseas may be packaged under a different brand name to those of the country of your destination. Keep an eye on the strength and active ingredients of similar-sounding medications overseas, they can vary.