UAE residents are frequent travellers, whether for holidays, business, or visiting family across the world. Different destinations carry different health risks. Planning ahead and taking simple precautions can prevent illness and ensure you enjoy your trip.
Before You Travel
See Your Doctor 6-8 Weeks Before
This allows time for:
- Travel vaccination courses to take effect
- Malaria prophylaxis to be arranged if needed
- Management of existing conditions during travel
- A travel health risk assessment based on your destination
Travel Vaccinations
Required or recommended vaccinations depend on your destination:
- Yellow fever: Required for travel to parts of Africa and South America. Certificate valid for life
- Hepatitis A: Recommended for travel to areas with poor sanitation
- Hepatitis B: If not already vaccinated
- Typhoid: For travel to South Asia, Africa, and parts of Central/South America
- Meningitis ACWY: Required for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims; recommended for sub-Saharan Africa
- Rabies: For travellers spending time in rural areas where rabies is common (parts of Asia, Africa)
- Japanese encephalitis: For travel to rural Southeast Asia
- Cholera: Rarely needed; for humanitarian workers in outbreak areas
Ensure routine vaccinations are up to date (MMR, tetanus, polio, diphtheria).
Malaria Prevention
If travelling to a malaria-endemic area:
- Take prescribed antimalarial medication (start before travel as directed)
- Use insect repellent containing DEET (20-50%)
- Sleep under an insecticide-treated mosquito net
- Wear long sleeves and trousers in the evenings
Existing Medications
- Carry enough medication for your entire trip plus extra in case of delays
- Keep medications in their original packaging with the pharmacy label
- Carry a letter from your doctor listing your medications (some medications are controlled substances in certain countries)
- Pack medications in your hand luggage (not checked baggage)
During Your Trip
Food and Water Safety
The most common cause of travel illness is contaminated food and water:
- Drink bottled water (check the seal is intact) or use water purification methods
- Avoid ice in drinks unless you are confident it was made from safe water
- Eat freshly prepared, hot food - avoid buffets that have been sitting at room temperature
- Peel fruits yourself; wash vegetables thoroughly
- Avoid raw or undercooked meat, fish, and eggs
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser
Sun and Heat Protection
UAE residents may be accustomed to heat, but different climates (humidity, altitude, UV levels) pose different risks:
- Apply SPF 30+ sunscreen and reapply every 2 hours
- Stay hydrated
- Acclimatise gradually if visiting high-altitude destinations
Insect Bite Prevention
Depending on destination:
- Use insect repellent on exposed skin
- Wear protective clothing in the evenings
- Stay in accommodation with screened windows or air conditioning
- Mosquito-borne diseases include malaria, dengue, Zika, and chikungunya
Traveller's Diarrhoea
The most common travel-related illness. Usually self-limiting but inconvenient:
- Stay hydrated with oral rehydration solution (ORS) or clean water with salt and sugar
- Anti-diarrhoeal medication (loperamide) for symptom relief in adults (not for children or if there is blood in the stool)
- Seek medical attention if: high fever, blood in the stool, severe dehydration, symptoms lasting more than 72 hours
Travel Health Kit
Pack a small kit containing:
- Prescribed medications (with doctor's letter)
- Paracetamol and ibuprofen
- Antihistamines
- Oral rehydration sachets
- Anti-diarrhoeal medication
- Insect repellent (DEET-based)
- Sunscreen (SPF 30+)
- Plasters and antiseptic wipes
- Hand sanitiser
- Any personal medical devices (EpiPen, inhaler, blood glucose monitor)
After You Return
See your doctor if you develop any of the following after returning from travel:
- Fever (especially within 3 months of returning from a malaria-risk area - malaria can be fatal if not treated promptly)
- Persistent diarrhoea
- Unexplained rash
- Jaundice (yellowing of skin or eyes)
- Unusual fatigue
- Respiratory symptoms
This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. Visit your doctor for a personalised travel health consultation.