Medical preparation
This is the big one! You need to make sure you get there and back no lasting issues
and assumes you're healthy to start off with. This was our list that we needed but
other people may need more - born in Africa we got most shots as we grew up. N.B.
Make sure you take along a card indicating all the shots you've been given.
Vaccinations
- Hepatitis A
- Tetanus / Polio / Diphtheria combination
- Typhoid
- Cholera – oral vaccination in 2 doses 1 week apart
- Hepatitis B – 3 injections. We had this done over a course of 3 months. However,
after reading several blogs some people said the vaccination did not take and your
immunity can be tested with a simple blood test. We had this done when we arrived
in South Africa. It was found we all had good immunity except our daughter who had
to start the whole course again.
- Men ACWY – one injection that should easily be obtained from your GP. This is commonly
given to people attending the Haj.
- Rabies – 3 injections over days 0, 7 and 21. We had this done at a MASTA clinic
as our GP surgery did not have this available. This cost about £50 per person per
injection.
- BCG (TB) – this is routinely given to children born in South Africa. As we travel
to South Africa regularly to visit family, we opted to have our daughter vaccinated
when she was a few months old.
- Yellow Fever – we had this done through our NHS GP surgery for £38 per person.
- MMR – our daughter being 3 years old went for her 2nd MMR dose
- Swine Flu – The vaccination became available to under 5s before we left the UK,
so our daugther received one jab. We thought it best to get this as we were travelling
and some protection is better than none. The BBC statistic was 85% of children who
get swine fly end up in hospital.
Medicine Chest
We're lucky that Juanita's cousin is a pharmacist. She looked at our list – amended
it and put a whole case together for us. She even went and bought the “tool box”
that we have come to call our tackle box, and packed and labelled everything.
Here is a list of the items:
- Antimalarials – we opted for Mefliam because we wanted all of us to be on the same
medication. Our daughter can't take antimalarial antibiotics (doxycycline) as she
is too young; Malarone cannot be taken for long term, so that left Mefliam. Mefliam
falls into the same category as Lariam and Mefloquine (different countries have
different names).
- Antibiotics for adults and children – above the diaphragm and below the diaphragm
- Flu medicine – Lemsip, Medlemon, Strepsils
- Paracetamol and ibuprofen
- Calpol for children
- Medised/Flusin for Children
- Antihistamines (over the counter) as well as creams for itching, and insect bites
- Valoid for adults and children for motion sickness and nausea
- Eye drops which contain an antihistamine
- De-worming medicine for adults and children
- Ear drops
- Bactroban antibiotic ointment
- Flea powder – Peaceful sleep helps for this and keeps mosquitos and other insects
away
- Spray to treat and prevent athlete's foot
- Burnshields
- Canesten cream
- Heartburn and indigestion tablets
- Suppositories for fever for children
- Germolene (antiseptic cream for bites, stings, cuts, minor burns and a bit of TLC)
- Hypospasmol/Buscopan for stomach cramps
- Hot Toddy throat lollies for children
- Spray for ear, nose and throat infections
- Cough syrup that contains an expectorant i.e. loosens phlegm
- Saline spray for dry/irritated nose
- Voltaren gel (can also be used on sunburnt skin)
- 2 x ringers with rehydration fluid and Jelco's for adults and children (if this
is needed we can go to a clinic and provide our own for them to use/insert)
- Zambuk cream
- Cotton wool
- Dettol/Savlon antiseptic
- Immodium
- Rehydration solutions (dioralyte)
- Cream for sunburn
- Sunblock (included in our toiletry bags)
- Vaseline
- Sudocrem
We are also taking a Sterile set (bought at the MASTA clinic, but available at most
outdoor stores or from Lifesystems) and the Lifesystems Montain First Aid Kit. Included
in our library are books by Dr Jane Wilson-Howarth:
- Your Child Abroad
- Bugs Bites and Bowels
Her books are brilliant and contains a recipe to make your own rehydration solution.
You can also email her if you have any questions. I was very impressed! Her books
are easy to read and state the basic facts. Some information is a bit scary but
she is able to instil confidence that you will be able to deal with any medical
situation. You won't get every bug mentioned in her books but she explains how you
can prepare and take care that most of them don't happen to you or your children
and family. Very easy to follow information.
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