North and Central America and Caribbean

The Ministry of Health reports that there has been one confirmed case of A (H1N1) - Swine Flu in the Bahamas and that it has been contained. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website has further details. You should also monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. There is a dedicated swine flu page on the FCO website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website.

Medical treatment is of a good standard but can be expensive. Emergency medical facilities are limited on all the Family Islands and serious cases are transferred to Nassau, Freeport or Miami by air ambulance. You should ensure that your medical insurance covers the cost of an air ambulance.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 6,100 adults aged 15 or over in The Bahamas were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 3.0% 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 The Bahamas 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.