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Healthcare | 15
employers, although they may be expected to Hong Kong is the vaccination requirements they are practically non-existent. It would
pay a portion of the insurance premiums and and www.netdoctor.co.uk recommends that therefore be advisable that you bring a supply
services offered could vary depending on the of any medications you may require if you are
employer. Therefore if you are planning on circle6
you receive the following inoculations:
planning on travelling to the country.
working within the USA you may wish to check circle6
Typhoid – 10 days before.
In addition, you may also wish to take a
with your employer regarding their arrange- circle6
Hepatitis A – two weeks before.
proactive approach and find a local doctor and
ments prior to you commencing employment. circle6
Diphtheria – three months before.
identify a good hospital for emergency treat-
Newcomers to the country must also consid- circle6
Tuberculosis – three months before.
Hepatitis B – two months before. ment as soon as you arrive and before you have
er medical insurance before moving there. You All travellers are also advised to ensure that a need to use them. You may also want to con-
must also ensure that you have adequate bene- tetanus and polio vaccinations are kept up to sider private medical care which is readily
fits that will cover you in the USA as some date. Although not designated a malaria area, available in India and this is of a much higher
policies may not cover this. The Foreign and every year several cases of dengue fever are standard than public care. Recently, a number
Commonwealth Office state: “Medical treat- reported in Hong Kong so it is wise to take pre- of hospital chains have been created, offering
ment can be very expensive; there are no spe- cautions to avoid being bitten. high quality medical care, although these are
cial arrangements for British visitors. The Finally, as with all countries that require you aimed at the wealthy and are quite costly.
British Embassy and Consulates-General can- have vaccinations, requirements may vary from However, it’s worth knowing that some private
not assist you with medical expenses. You time to time. In light of this, you will need to clinics can’t handle serious emergencies, but
should ensure that you have comprehensive check with your doctor well in advance of your they are mostly well-staffed and provide clean
medical insurance, which includes hospital departure date. facilities and modern equipment and can
treatment and medical evacuation to the UK.” undertake most common procedures.
Currently there are no vaccinations required India As just mentioned, private medical care in
for travel to the USA. However, it is always The CIA World Fact Book estimates that in July India can be expensive, so it would be worth
worth checking with your GP before departure. 2009 there were 1.16 billion people living in taking out private medical insurance to cover
India. It is not surprising then, that the capital the costs should you wish to receive this care.
Hong Kong New Delhi is one of the most polluted cities in The Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Even though pollution is a problem, the life the world, which may present health concerns “strongly recommend that you obtain compre-
expectancy of Hong Kong’s residents is quite for many expatriates and travellers. For exam- hensive travel and medical insurance before
high. Living Abroad estimates that women live, ple, pollution may have an affect on people travelling. You should check any exclusions,
on average, for 81 years and men for 75 years. with respiratory problems like allergies and and that your policy covers you for all the
This could be due to the fact that the health asthma. However, the level of pollution has activities you want to undertake.”
standards in the region are higher than most reduced since the introduction of Compressed Another key factor to consider is vaccination
other Asian cities. Natural Gas (CNG) fuel vehicles. requirements. Expatriates should carry an
When Hong Kong was handed to the Peoples With the increasing volume of British international certificate of vaccination with
Republic of China the UK and Hong Kong nationals living and travelling throughout them as this is helpful upon entry into India
Reciprocal Health Care Arrangement was ter- India, it’s not surprising that English is widely and for personal knowledge.
minated, so UK expatriates are required to spoken and that there are large numbers of www.netdoctor.co.uk recommends the follow-
fund their own medical treatment whilst in English speaking doctors and dentists.
Hong Kong. The standards of healthcare are However, if you are considering moving to circle6
ing vaccinations before travelling to India:
excellent, as evidenced by the fact that it is the India, the healthcare needs of you and your circle6
Typhoid - 10 days before
centre of treatment for Asia. family are extremely important and there are circle6
Hepatitis A – two weeks before
Hong Kong has several regional public hos- many factors to take into consideration. circle6
Diphtheria – three months before
pitals, in addition to private hospitals. Both For example, it is important to recognise that circle6
Tuberculosis – three months before
types of hospital offer high standards of care, the medical facilities in the major cities, such as circle6
Hepatitis B – two months before
and are used by expatriate and local residents, New Delhi and Mumbai, are of a significantly circle6
Rabies – one month before
although the private hospitals are more often higher standard than those in more rural areas circle6
Meningococcal meningitis – one week before
Japanese B encephalitis – one month before
chosen by expatriates. Admission to a private of India. The quality of medical attention also A certification of vaccination for yellow fever
hospital is by referral from your physician or tends to diminish the farther away you are will be required if you are travelling from an
specialist, except in the case of emergency. All from urban areas. This is confirmed by the infected area. There is also a risk of malaria and
public and some private hospitals have emer- Foreign and Commonwealth Office who state: dengue fever so appropriate preventative medi-
gency rooms open 24 hours. “Local medical facilities are not comparable to cines and mosquito repellent will need to be
Another consideration is the availability of those in the UK, especially in more remote used. Also expatriates planning to stay in the
pharmaceutical medicines. Non prescription areas.” country for more than 12 months are normally
drugs are widely available and your physician Whilst most drugs and medicines can be subjected to a health examination which
will be able to advise where to have your pre- obtained from pharmacies in the major cities includes an HIV test. Any individual who tests
scription dispensed. (such as Mumbai and Bangalore) the same can- HIV positive or refuses to take the test may face
A key factor to consider before you travel to not be said for more rural and remote areas, as deportation.
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