Asia and Oceania

Medical facilities are very basic throughout the Solomon Islands.  There are limited hospital facilities and medical supplies are not always available.  Doctors are few and far between.  The National Referral Hospital in Honiara frequently runs out of blood supplies and often has a very limited stock of oral re-hydration salts, paracetamol and basic antibiotics. You should take a basic medical kit with you when visiting rural and remote areas.

Dengue fever and malaria occur in the Solomon Islands; these diseases are transmitted by mosquitoes. There are no vaccinations against these diseases but there are preventative measures that you can take, as advised on the National Travel Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website. You should visit your GP to discuss appropriate anti malarial medication.

Scuba divers should be aware that there is a decompression chamber in Honiara, which is manned by volunteers. Registered dive operators can provide information on access arrangements.

There have been 12 reported cases of individuals contracting the HIV virus; this situation is expected to increase threefold over the coming year.  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 the Solomon Islands 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 Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) or NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

 

For more general health information see Travel Health and Swine Fllu and for food/drink hygiene see Eat and Drink Safety.