Asia and Oceania

The quality of medical care in Uzbekistan is poor.  Hospitals are badly equipped and unhygienic, with a limited supply of drugs.  There is no guarantee that equipment will have been properly sterilised especially in rural hospitals.  You should avoid all but basic treatment or essential treatment in the event of an emergency.  Medical insurance companies usually refer complaints of a more serious nature to hospitals in Europe or New Delhi.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6.  The WHO website at: www.who.int/ has further details.  You should also monitor local media reports for any developments and advice.  There is a dedicated Swine Flu page.  Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk

There are no reported cases of (A) H1N1 in Uzbekistan (source: Uzbek Ministry of Public Health).  All border crossings (airports, railway stations and road borders) operate automatic screening procedures on arrival.  Procedures vary depending upon place of entry but include either non-contact scanning with high-tech temperature scanners, or more basic use of electronic thermometers.  Any passengers displaying symptoms of (A) H1N1 may be taken aside at port of entry for further basic visual diagnostic tests, which could include a blood test.  If further tests proved positive any non-Uzbek citizen would be offered treatment in Uzbekistan at a quarantine unit in Tashkent under the supervision of the Uzbek Ministry of Public Health.  Anyone declining temperature checks upon entry or treatment in Uzbekistan, if these were deemed necessary, would be denied entry into Uzbekistan.  Arriving non-Uzbek passengers in this situation would be offered generic medicines and returned to their point of departure straight away to limit the danger of contagion.  Any British nationals who are detained are advised to contact the British Embassy.

Outbreaks of Hepatitis A, Meningitis and Diphtheria have occurred in Uzbekistan.  There have also been confirmed cases of malaria contracted in the southern Sukhandarya province.

You should drink or use only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks.  If you suffer from diarrhoea during a visit to Uzbekistan and your condition does not respond quickly to proprietary medicines you may have brought with you, you should seek immediate medical attention.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 16,000 adults aged 15 or over in Uzbekistan were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.1% 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 Uzbekistan 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) and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health.