2. Health and Practicalities

3. Before you go… Full physical and dental examination
Spare pair glasses (and prescription)
Supply of prescription drugs?
Written health record
If taking prescription medication may need a letter from your doctor

4. Vaccinations and Malaria Prophylaxis
Go to Travelers’ Health
Scroll down to country you’re going to

5. What to put in your traveller’s medical kit
Hand sanitizer
Insect repellent - Tropical Strength
Sunscreen
First aid kit
Thrush treatment
Bite/disinfectant cream
Paracetamol/ anti-inflamatory
Gastro kit
Gastrolyte
Stemetil/ Maxalon - anti-nausea
Tinidazole – prolonged diarrhoea
Noroxin – bloody diarrhoea
Loperamide (Gastro-stop)
Laxative

6. What to put in your traveller’s medical kit
Water purification tablets
Travel sickness medications
Anti-fungal / steroid cream - ‘Hydrozole’
Antihistamine if prone to allergies/hayfever
Thermometer

7. Basic Prevention Wash hands often / take hand sanitising gel
Dry body well after washing
Drink clean water
Eat steaming hot cooked food - ‘Boil it, Cook it, Peel it or Forget it’
Beware of different road standards: try to wear seatbelts and wear a helmet on motorbikes - consider getting motorbike license here prior to leaving.

8. Mosquito Bites
Name 3 things you can do to avoid mosquito bites.

9. Preventing Mosquito Bites…
Cover up in daytime and evening
Avoid wearing perfume or aftershave
Use repellent containing DEET - at least 10% need “tropical strength”
Sleep under treated nets
Use coils or knockdown sprays before bed
Sleep under fan

10. Scenario 1
You eat with a local family and forgot to take your hand sanitiser with you and couldn’t wash your hands. They serve you a warm chicken salad and you wake up in that night with your stomach churning. Soon follows vomiting and diarrhoea... you remember you have your trusty medical kit with you what can you do to help you in this situation ...

11. Scenario 1 If you develop Gastro… Wash hands often
Keep fluids up to replace losses - small regular sips of rehydration solution
Eat but avoid fatty/dairy foods for several weeks after
Most cases will resolve in 3 days or so but you may be lactose intolerant for a couple of weeks.

12. Scenario 1
It’s now the next morning and you’re feeling worse. There’s now blood in your diarrhoea and you think you have a fever ... what should you do now?

13. Scenario 1 Can try the Norfloxacin you have in your bag
Seek medical help if blood in stools, fever, severe abdominal pain, uncontrolled vomiting or if diarrhoea lasts more than 5 days

14. Scenario 2
You develop high fevers and a headache and are not feeling well. You recently got back from a trip to an area where there may have been dengue or malaria. What should you do?

15. Scenario 2
If you are in (or have recently been in) a malarial area and have a fever you MUST seek medical attention.
Call your travel insurance to find out where to go.

16. Scenario 3 – For Girls…
You’ve been on antibiotics and this country is so hot and sweaty.
You unfortunately have developed an embarrassing itch and discomfort ‘down below’.
What can you do?

17. Scenario 3 – For Girls…
Most likely thrush - take the diflucan in your medical kit
Avoid synthetic clothing - cotton underwear.
Can try vinegar baths - 1/2 cup vinegar in a shallow bath

18. Scenario 3 – For Boys…
You’ve also got an embarrassing itch in the groin area.

19. Scenario 3 – For Boys…
Use the Hydrozole - 3 x / day for as long as the symptoms are there and then for another 1-2 weeks to make sure it’s gone.

20. Fungal Infections Regular cool showers Dry carefully
Don’t share towels
Wear cotton socks and underwear
Treat fungal infections aggressively and continue for a week after it resolves

21. Scenario 4
You love dogs and there is a beautiful little puppy on the side of the road that you can’t resist. You go over to see it and he bites you. What should you do?

22. Dog Bite Scrub wound with soap and water
Seek medical attention ASAP / Call your travel insurer - need to worry about infection and rabies!

23. 3 Final Common Complaints
Worms
Head Lice
Back / Neck pain

24. Worms You will get intestinal worms if in the tropics for much time
Reduce worm load by regular hand washing and wearing shoes
Treat yourself every 6 months

25. Head Lice Only a nuisance Use head lice shampoo weekly
Use fine tooth comb to comb out lice
If fails, conditioner and combing will keep under control
Wash bedding in hot water to kill eggs

26. After returning home… Medical check up advisable.
Continue malaria prophylaxis for recommended time.
If you develop a fever seek medical attention promptly (can appear years down the track) – tell your doctor you have lived in a malaria area and ask for a blood test.