Asia and Oceania

Local medical facilities are not comparable to those in the UK, especially in more remote areas. However, in the major cities private medical care is available, but is expensive. In the case of psychiatric illness, specialised treatment may not be available outside major cities. The treatment of such illnesses may require long-term hospitalisation, which may incur large expenditure and in many of these cases, insurance companies are reluctant to cover the cost.

There are many diseases common to India. You should take care with your water and food hygiene.  You should drink or use only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks.  If you suffer from diarrhoea during a visit to India you should seek immediate medical attention.  Mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya affect most of India.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 2,300,000 adults aged 15 or over in India were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.3% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%.  You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to India and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.  For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Heath Network and Centre NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

 

For more general health information see our Travel health page.

Influenza A(H1N1) (Swine Flu)

The UK in India website  has further information about “Swine Flu” and links to FCO, WHO and Dept of Health pages.

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

There has been an outbreak of avian influenza in Malda (North Bengal) and in Assam. The Government of India Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal has confirmed the strain as H5N1. Containment measures are underway including a culling of all poultry within a 3km radius of the outbreaks. No human infections have been confirmed.

There have been previous outbreaks in West Bengal and Manipur.

The risk to humans from Avian Influenza is believed to be very low.  As a precaution you should avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds; and ensure poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked.

 

You should read this advice in conjunction with our Avian and Pandemic Influenza page, which gives more detailed advice and information.