Vietnam travel may require a pack list of important health requirements. Some places in Vietnam may not have or are faced with difficulty in accessing medical services and for that reason, your doctor can advise you on what to take with you. Some of the key requirements that you may need are:
a. Health Insurance: This is essential for your travel due to emergency accidents that you may be faced with. In addition, risk of diseases such as rabies, malaria, typhoid in areas that are prone to such diseases. If your health insurance does not cover accidents from diving, hiking, cycling, and vehicle accidents make sure to get one that does.
b. Recommended Vaccinations: About a month to the planned trip one is needed to have acquired vaccinations for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, diphtheria, rabies, tuberculosis, tetanus, and yellow fever. This is because some are highly contagious and serious.
c. Personal Health Check Up: Good health that is fit for travel is another vital requirement. Visit your doctor to know your health status in order to avoid unnecessary health risk surprises during the travel. Some underlying diseases increase the vulnerability of one to diseases.
d. Know Areas To Get Medical Attention: To be on the safe side carry with you a list of medical personnel that is available at your destination, a card showing your blood group, known allergies and chronic illnesses you have.
There are other requirements that may not be majorly essential but is advocated for like:
Own Medical List: This is just like carrying your own first aid kit majorly for minor injuries is hard to come by drugs. The items are:
- Antibacterial liquid or cream: For cleaning hands after or before handling food or items that require clean hands to prevent infections.
- Antihistamines: In case of any allergic reactions. e.g. cetirizine
- Antiseptics: For cleaning wounds, bruises and cuts on the skin in order to maintain sterility.
- Mosquito repellants: To repel mosquitoes. Repellants are useful especially in urban areas with cases of dengue fever. It may be applied at any given time of the day.
- Antibiotics drugs: In cases of bacterial infections like diarrhea. As a visitor, you will buy food and drink water from unknown sources of which some may be contaminated.
- Pain relievers: Such as paracetamol, ibuprofen to relieve pain.
- Sunscreen cream: To be applied in areas with very hot weather to prevent burning of the skin by the harsh sunlight more so in people who are used to cold weathers.
- First aid items: Such as bandages and plasters in case of accidents. Accidents from cycling, hiking especially where children are involved happen at all times.
- Antifungal medications like fluconazole in case of any fungal infection.
In cases of malarial prevention, the following precautions may be taken:
- Sleep under treated mosquito nets.
- Use mosquito repellants especially at night.
- Use of mosquito coils time before going to bed to allow them to take effect and chase away mosquitoes.
- Spray the room with insect spray repellants time before you go to bed.
- Use of ant malarial drugs during your stay in Vietnam.
- As for pregnant mothers is advisable for a cancelation of unnecessary trip. Malarial infections during pregnancy are risky.
