Middle East and North Africa

There are confirmed human cases of A (H1N1) Swine Flu in Tunisia (source: Tunisian Public Health Ministry).  Since 1 May 2009, the Tunisian authorities have been screening all arrivals at Tunisian airports using temperature-seeking cameras. You should monitor local media reports and the British Embassy in Tunisia website (http://ukintunisia.fco.gov.uk/en) for any further developments and advice. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details. You should 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 is no provision for free medical attention for non-Tunisians.  All doctors' fees, medication and hospitalisation in private (as opposed to state run) clinics have to be paid for on the spot.  These costs can be quite high.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 3,600 adults aged 15 or over in Tunisia 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 Tunisia 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 NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

 

For more general health information see Travel Health.