Health preparation and travel medical kit

At the destination there may be different pathogens than at home, the climate may put more strain on the body, and medical care may be organised differently or be further away. Health preparation works in three places: reducing avoidable risks, securing the supply of your own medication and clarifying in advance how treatment and repatriation would be organised and paid for in an emergency.

Which vaccinations, preventive measures and medicines make sense depends on many things: the destination, the season, the kind of trip and your own health. That is why there is no general packing list for it. It belongs in personal advice from a doctor or a travel-medicine service. This page therefore deliberately gives no vaccination or medication recommendations.

In many countries, health authorities, institutes of tropical medicine and travel clinics offer country-specific information. The CDC Yellow Book from the US health agency is a well-known reference that covers, among other things, travel preparation and travel health kits.

Time is the most important factor. Plan the consultation a few weeks before departure, because some vaccinations need several appointments or some time before protection builds up. If you come only a few days before, you often have fewer options. Bring your route, the length of the trip and the type of accommodation to the consultation, and mention medical conditions and allergies.

Take your regular medication in sufficient quantity plus a reserve, in your hand luggage and in its original packaging. Checked luggage can get lost or arrive days later. A list of the active ingredients helps, because medicines abroad are often sold under different brand names.

Some medicines are subject to special rules or even bans on entry. So ask the destination country or its embassy in advance and carry a doctor's certificate. Agree the contents of your travel medical kit with a doctor or pharmacy, matched to destination, duration and fellow travellers such as children. Dressings and plasters almost always belong in it.

Much of what can make you ill on the road can be reduced with simple habits. These include drinking water and food hygiene (see the entry on food and water when travelling), protection from sun and heat and – where the advice recommends it – protection from mosquito bites, for example with long clothing.

Write your blood group (if known), allergies, medical conditions and emergency contacts on a card and carry it with your documents. If you ever cannot speak for yourself, helpers still know the most important things. Also check before the trip whether treatment abroad and repatriation are covered by insurance, and note your insurer's emergency number.

A travel medical kit is meant for minor problems, not for treating serious illness yourself. In case of high fever, shortness of breath, severe pain or impaired consciousness, seek medical help immediately or call the local emergency number (112 in the EU). Afterwards, inform your insurer's emergency line, which can often help find a suitable clinic.

Symptoms that only appear after you return can also be linked to the trip. Tell your doctor where you have been. That helps them think of the right causes.

On a long-haul trip to a tropical country, the consultation is usually more detailed because there are different disease risks there. People with chronic conditions or regular medication should also talk to their own doctor about the trip, for example about time differences or heat.

Expeditions and trips far from medical care need more: a first-aid course, more extensive, medically agreed equipment and a plan for how to call for help and organise a rescue in an emergency. The further away the nearest hospital, the more important this planning becomes.