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Your health
during your travel in India depends on three things: (i)
Precautions taken before arrival (ii) Day-to-day health care, and
(iii) Efficiency in tackling emergencies.
No particular vaccination is required for coming to India.
However, visitors from designated countries in Africa, South
America and Papua New Guinea, even if they are on transit, are
required to bring valid yellow fever vaccination certificates. In
the absence of this certificate they will be quarantined for six
days. Precautionary medication is the best bet against common
ailments like diarrhea, dysentery and malaria. Malaria is a
problem in India during the rainy season. So, if you are coming at
that time of the year, do consult your doctor for precautionary
anti-malarial medication. While in India, use mosquito repellent
ointment. If you are not already vaccinated against hepatitis
B, get it done before travelling. Those not accustomed to
Indian conditions are usually vulnerable to stomach problems. It
is advisable to seek qualified medical advice before travelling
and carry your own first-aid kit. There are any number of good
doctors, private clinics, hospitals nursing homes and well
established government hospitals in Delhi.
For travel health, it is best to use your common sense. Take care
what you eat or drink. This is the most important health rule.
Water is suspect, therefore, it is best to carry your own mineral
water. Bottled mineral water and aerated drinks are easily
available and are a good substitute for water. Hot tea and coffee
are also good alternatives. Indian travellers do not worry too
much about water, because their constitution is tuned to local
conditions. Even so, contaminated drinking water remains the main
reason for most stomach-related diseases. Diarrhea (the English
call it 'Delhi-belly') is the most common stomach ailment. Take a
three or five-day course of anti-diarrhea tablets duly prescribed
by a doctor. Diarrhea leads to dehydration. So, along with
medication, drink a lot of water with salt and sugar. There are
some restrictions on your diet, too. Alcohol, milk, meat, fried
and spicy foods should be avoided. Porridge, stew and the local
khichri are easy to digest and, therefore, recommended. If the
bout of upset stomach persists, get a stool test done because it
might be amoebic dysentery.
The tropical sun is extremely strong during the summer months, so
guard against sun stroke and dehydration. Wear a hat and dark
glasses when you go out. Drink lots of non-alcoholic liquids,
water and fruit juice. Allow sweat to evaporate, wear loose cotton
clothes. Use sun screen lotions and talcum powder as a precaution
against prickly heat rash.
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