Many of the questions I get about travelling to India are about health
issues. Should I only drink bottled water? Should I take anti-malarials? What
if I get sick?
While travelling in India, you’ll need to take a few more health
precautions that you would at home, but there’s no need to be paranoid. Do
expect to get a stomach upset at least once and consider yourself lucky if you
don’t!
You can stay healthy by
following these tips:
Get your shots: Before leaving for India, make sure you're up to
date with your vaccinations for diphtheria and tetanus (recommended every 10
years for adults). Shots for hepatitis A, hepatitis B and typhoid are also
advisable. Some vaccines take time to ‘kick in’ so make sure you plan ahead
before your trip.
Drink only bottled or
filtered water: Tap water is not
safe to drink in India so make sure you drink only bottled or filtered water.
Most households in India (as well as hotels and restaurants) have a water
filter system installed in the kitchen which purifies tap water. This is
perfectly safe to drink, as long as the filter system is maintained properly.
In a hot climate like India’s, you’ll have to drink a lot more water than
you’re used to, to avoid dehydration. Aim for at least 2 litres a day. You’ll
notice tender coconuts for sale on almost every street corner, especially in
South India. Coconut water is an ideal drink to keep hydrated: it contains
sugars, fibre and protein and provides vitamins, antioxidants and minerals.
Use mosquito repellent: Illnesses like malaria, dengue fever and
chikungunya are prevalent in India, especially during the monsoon season (June
to September in most parts of India). There are no vaccines for these illnesses
which are all transmitted by mosquitoes. Anti-malarial drugs can be taken as a
precaution against malaria, but long-term use of these drugs is not
recommended. The best approach is to try to prevent mosquito bites as much as
possible. While sleeping, use a mosquito net or a plug-in anti-mosquito device.
Mosquitoes are also around during the day, so use a lotion repellent. Local brands of repellents like Odomos are
readily available, very cheap and often smell better than foreign brands.
Mosquito nets and repellent devices are also easy to find locally. I would
recommend buying all of these products in India instead of bringing them with
you from home. If you develop a sudden high fever, seek medical attention
immediately.
How to recover from Delhi
Belly: Stomach upsets accompanied by
diarrhea (or ‘loose motions’ in local parlance) and/or vomiting are very common
among travellers to India and you’re bound to be hit by this sooner or later!
It’s vitally important to replace any lost fluids by drinking a lot of liquids
to avoid dehydration. Oral rehydration salts (Electral) are available in any
pharmacy and when mixed with water, help the body rehydrate and recover
quickly. (Coconut water is good too – see above.) Symptoms usually subside
after 2 or 3 days – if this takes longer, seek medical help.
Watch what you eat: To avoid stomach bugs, you need to be careful about
what and where you eat. Only eat in popular restaurants with a high turnover
where you can be sure the food is made fresh. Avoid roadside stalls or food
that has been sitting out for a long time. The other usual advice is to avoid
ice, peel fruit and pass up salads. However, don’t stop eating fresh fruit and
vegetables altogether, or you’ll be missing out on vitamins and anti-oxidants
which strengthen your immune system.
Wash your hands: Good hygiene is also key to not getting sick.
Though ‘hand wash’ sinks are found in every restaurant and eatery, soap is not
always available. Carry your own, or a small bottle of hand sanitizer.
Get insured. Some long-term travellers do not take out expensive
travel insurance for a trip to India because the cost of healthcare here is
cheap and the care given in private hospitals and clinics is of a high quality.
But I have heard of heart-breaking cases of accidents (an Australian on a
motorcycle had a night time collision with a cow and suffered serious head
injuries; an American trekking in Ladakh fell down a cliff and needed facial
reconstruction surgery) which involved long-term care and rehabilitation. You
never know what can go wrong and for that reason, it’s best to get a good
quality health and travel insurance which includes medical evacuation.
Do you have other tips? Do
share them!
Safe travels!
3 comments :
I think you have covered it all,I think.It is good that you have taken the bull by the tail and have not been critical of us but have cautioned those visiting India. Most who come to us are most critical and do not have a positive attitude!!And believe me this really put-offing to us.We are basically a hospitable people.
Thanks Tojo! Though there are some people who are critical, I don't think this is most who come to India. Many Indians tend to assume foreigners will be critical of India but they wouldn't travel here if they weren't interested in learning more about it. And I'm sure all are touched by the warmth and hospitality of the people!
The water quality is so bad. I never got sick from street food - only water!
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