travel insurance pre existing medical condition

travel insurance preexisting medical condition

The Travel Doctor TMVC Homepage News
Homepage news articles from The Travel Doctor TMVC in Australia

• Let the buyer beware A warning from Hong
  Standard medications and even prescription drugs are widely available, and often cheaper, from unlicensed (and even from some licensed) purveyors in many overseas destinations, and also via the Internet. However, time and again we have reports of sub-standard drugs being purchased by travellers and the World Health Organisation has repeatedly warned about the trade in counterfeit drugs. (See for instance the posting on this site of 13th May). Of equal importance as a potential danger is the inclusion of unusual or dangerous ingredients in a preparation, unbeknownst to the customer. An example of this is a herbal preparation for treatment of arthritis which contains cortisone. A further example has recently come to light in an alert from the Hong Kong Department of Health about a preparation - Nangen Zengzhangsu - sold for erectile dysfunction which contains an ingredient used for the treatment of diabetes. This could lead to a life-threatening situation of low blood sugar. Travellers must not rely on obtaining safe and reliable medication overseas so it is best to take sufficient supply of prescribed drugs for the duration of travel. To cater for the treatment of common ailments associated with travel the Traveldoctor-TMVC clinics have a range of prepared kits designed to suit the type and duration of your itinerary as discussed with the clinic doctor who can also provide a prescription for any necessary preparation not included in a kit.
• Is First World Food Hygiene always First Class?
  When visiting “Western” countries like in Europe and Nth America, can we just assume that all food is safe to eat? Quite simply the answer is ‘No, not always.’ The developed nations rely on a sophisticated public health service together with widespread public knowledge of the principles of food hygiene to protect consumers. But consider the number of outbreaks of Salmonella food poisoning reported in the press in the USA and Europe. Often this occurs inadvertently somewhere along the chain of food production, preparation and presentation or when problems with storage and preparation occur at the point of consumption. More concerning , however, is a report from France earlier this month where the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries stated that one in four cafes, snack bars and seafront restaurants in tourist hotspots across France are breaking hygiene rules or serving food unfit for consumption, thirty-seven establishments were shut down altogether, for failing to meet basic hygiene and food conservation rules, and allowing staff to work in dirty clothes. Such reports emphasise the fact that travel to Europe or other “developed” countries is not necessarily hazard free. This is consistent with our travellers’ reports of the rate of diarrhoeal illness while visiting Europe, and the reason we have developed our special “Tour” medical kit. It reminds travellers that a pre-travel consultation at a Traveldoctor-TMVC clinic is a wise precaution for any destination overseas.
• Kokoda trail is not a walk in the park
  Following the track of the World War II Australian armed forces across the Owen Stanley ranges in Papua New Guinea has become a popular adventure. There are a variety of tours organized by a variety of agents and most – but not all - of the organisers arrange for some form of preparatory instruction on risks and precautions. A recent news item describing the rescue by US Navy helicopter of an Australian hiker, reportedly unconscious from a low blood sodium level, from a remote village on the track does illustrate the fact that are definite health risks in undertaking the tour. The journey is a strenuous one and apart from muscle and joint problems dehydration is a major challenge, but replacement of lost fluids with plain water only is not good enough without replacement of salt lost as well. At Traveldoctor-TMVC clinics our experienced health professionals can discuss this and all other related issues and problems posed by walking the Kokoda trail as well as providing the necessary immunizations and antimalarials. Traveldoctor-TMVC also has a Fact Sheet on the Kokoda Trail available on this website under Frequently Asked Questions in the Personal Traveller section Walking the Kokoda trail is a great adventure. It provides an understanding of an important part of Australian history. Let us help you prevent it becoming a part of your personal medical history.
• AIDS infection linked to parasites
  In an article published by the Public Library Of Science journal researchers have shown that experimental animals infected with the schistosomiasis parasite have a very much greater chance – 17 times greater than animals without the parasite - of being infected if subsequently exposed to the HIV/AIDS virus. These results go some way to explaining the ease and rapidity with which AIDS has spread in African countries where a high percentage of the population carry the schistosoma parasite. Schistosomiasis is disease caused by a parasite in water which can penetrate the unbroken skin or mucous linings of humans. Water becomes infected by contamination with urine or faeces and the parasite is conveyed through an intermittent stage carried by snails. Most of the waterways and streams in Africa are infected and although there is a treatment for individuals infected re-infection by re-exposure is more common than not in the local population. Most travelers who have acquired schistosomiasis have done so by swimming in Lake Malawi or similar waterways. Infection only occasionally produces early symptoms and diagnosis can be made by examination of urine or faeces, or by demonstrating antibodies in the blood. Although treatment is simple it is not always 100% effective and it is much better not to risk being exposed to the infection while travelling. Prevention against HIV/AIDS involves not participating in unprotected sexual encounters and it would be a foolhardy traveler indeed who runs the risk of being exposed to both the schistosoma parasite and the AIDS virus, but this study suggests the possibility that parasite infections may have indirect and unpredictable effects on the defense mechanisms of the human body. If nothing else ts study reinforces the advice not to swim in freshwater streams, rivers or lakes in Africa (or southeast Asia were schistosomiasis also occurs).
• Australians travelling to the Olympics- Health Preparation
  There will be many Australians lucky enough to attend this year’s Olympic Games in Beijing, and many of them will also travel to other parts of China. Getting prepared properly means thinking about your health, and a visit to your nearest Travel Doctor-TMVC clinic will be more than worthwhile. Accessing healthcare in China is both difficult and expensive, so good pre-travel preparation helps ensure Olympic visitors will enjoy their trip. Travellers with pre-existing medical issues can discuss the safe management of those conditions with our professional staff. Our clinics have the necessary medical information, vaccinations and travellers medical kits to ensure your trip is as safe and healthy as possible. Effects of air pollution, unsafe local water supply, bird-flu risk and certain food hazards can all be minimised by getting up-to-date advice and preparation at Travel Doctor-TMVC clinics. We recommend vaccination against hepatitis A and typhoid, as well as influenza. Travellers who will be staying for longer periods may need to consider vaccines for rabies, Japanese encephalitis and hepatitis-B. All these are safe and available through Travel Doctor-TMVC. We also strongly recommend travellers carry one of our custom medical kits that contain prescription medications and instructions for the management of common traveller’s ailments such as traveller’s diarrhoea. Malaria is not a major problem for China, so travellers Beijing and other Chinese cities will not need anti-malaria medications. Travellers doing extra travel to isolated parts of China should discuss that risk with our experts. All travellers to China should have good travel insurance, and copies of their travel documents. Go Aussies!
• Olympics visitors must "Beware of the Dog"
  Exotic diseases are unlikely for visitors to China for the Olympic Games. A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the USA and the GeoSentinel Surveillance Network finds that during the past 10 years dog bites were one of the more common health problems travellers face when visiting China. (The Geosentinel Surveillance Network is a rapid communication network set up by the International Society of Travel Medicine in which TravelDoctor-TMVC participates). Other common ailments were respiratory infections, skin problems, injuries and diarrhea, the report says. With an estimated 600,000 foreign visitors and athletes, and as many as 2 million Chinese attendees, expected at the 2008 Olympic Games in August, the report says respiratory illnesses, such as asthma and bronchitis, may be the most common ailment encountered. The most frequent ailments for travellers receiving post-travel medical care hav