Preparing for your Medical Elective - in a resource poor country
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What immunisations will I need?
Some countries in Africa and South America demand documentation to prove that you are covered for yellow fever, and a few demand an HIV certificate. Be sure of the facts before you leave the UK rather than discover them at some remote border post! Check with the appropriate Embassy Website.
WHO provide very detailed guidance on travel health on their website: www.who.int/ith/
InterHealth - situated in London and a Christian Agency linked to CMF provides:
- A customised list of immunisations, antimalarials and health equipment needed for your journey. They will also provide the immunisations and drugs at a reasonable cost.
- Information sheets on the major health problems, including AIDS.
- Advice by phone, letter, e-mail or fax on health related problems at any time before, during or after your time abroad.
Contact: 020 7902 9000 Fax: 020 7928 0927 or email: info@interhealth.org.uk
Be aware: Two or three visits may be necessary to complete the recommended schedules of immunisation and this takes time. Unless these jabs are offered free by your Medical School Student Services you are likely to have to pay for them on the NHS.
As a general rule, anyone traveling to a resource poor country should be up-to-date with the following:
- Polio - an oral dose needed every 10 years
- Tetanus/Diphtheria (low-dose) - repeat injection needed every 10 years
- Hepatitis A - one dose covers for one year, a second for 20 years
- Hepatitis B - a course of 3 injections if not already immunised. Check your antibody titre after the course. If already immunised - a booster dose may be necessary
- Typhoid - ideally as a single typhim Vi vaccine
- BCG - if Tuberculin negative
- Rabies - usually 3 injections
For certain countries, you will also need to be covered for the following:
- Meningitis A and C (or quadrivalent meningitis vaccine) - 1 injection
- Japanese encephalitis - usually 3 injections at days 0, 7, 28
- Yellow fever - 1 injection lasting 10 years
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Fifth edition with appendices – January 2007
© 2007 Christian Medical Fellowship, London.
First Edition 1997 – Amended April 1999 & November 2000
Second Edition September 2002
Third Edition November 2003
Fourth Edition August 2004
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of Christian Medical Fellowship.
Christian Medical Fellowship
6 Marshalsea Road
London
SE1 1HL
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7234 9660
Fax: +44 (0)20 7234 9661
Email: peter.armon@cmf.org.uk
Websites: www.cmf.org.uk, www.healthserve.org
Christian Medical Fellowship is a registered charity No. 1039823
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My thanks are due to Mark Pickering (CMF Student Secretary), Avril Stirzaker (Chairperson, CMF National Students Committee) and Laura Risdale (PA, Overseas Department) for their comments and suggestions during the preparation of this fifth edition.
DISCLAIMER
Christian Medical Fellowship cannot be held responsible for the information contained in this booklet. Students should confirm the information with individual institutions and missions agencies, including the conditions for undertaking electives and the precautions advised to reduce health and transport risks.
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