Travel Clinic

Health advice and vaccinations for travellers

Travel Doctors

Travel health advice with experienced doctors

As travel restrictions start to ease, it is incredibly important that you think about your health on all overseas and interstate travels. At Medsana Medical Clinic, our doctors are fully equipped to provide comprehensive travel medicine services and advice for any destination. A few things that should be taken into consideration when preparing for a trip include the availability of medication, clean foods, uncontaminated water, hygiene products, first aid, as well as the presence of animals and insects. This will better help you have a productive, enjoyable, and, most importantly, safe trip.

Why drive into the city, or for that matter, anywhere else when you can get all your travel needs at Medsana Medical Clinic? We offer a full range of travel vaccines, and our doctors can create personalised medical prescriptions for you in a stress-free environment with free parking.

Additionally, our team of nurses and doctors is well experienced and has first-hand experience across numerous countries in:

  • Asia
  • Africa
  • The Americas
  • Europe
  • Oceania

Forming an extensive list consisting of:

  • Vietnam
  • India
  • Taiwan
  • Thailand
  • Hong Kong
  • Singapore
  • Malaysia
  • Japan
  • Macau
  • Indonesia
  • China
  • United Arab Emirates
  • South Africa
  • Zimbabwe
  • Botswana
  • Zambia
  • United States of America (including Hawaii and Alaska)
  • Canada
  • United Kingdom
  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Belgium
  • Austria
  • Czech Republic
  • New Zealand
  • Fiji
  • Vanuatu
  • Other various Pacific Islands.
Travel first aid kit with medications

Medications for Travelling

Besides your travel vaccinations, there may be other important medicines to consider.

Our doctors can help you plan and create a checklist of recommended items. Things to consider might be:

  •  Malaria medications
  •  Antibiotics for travellers’ diarrhoea
  • Travel sickness medication
  • Altitude sickness medication
  • Period delay tablets
  • Hand sanitiser
  • Antihistamines
  • Pain relivers
  • Copies of all your prescriptions
  • Water purification solutions

Travel Vaccinations

Prevent the transmission of disease

IMPORTANT: We recommend that you consult with your doctor ideally at least 6 weeks before leaving the country to discuss what vaccines you may need for your trip. You might need several doses of a vaccine. You might also need time after immunisation for your body to develop full immunity.

We provide the full range of travel vaccines. Your doctor will determine which vaccines are appropriate for your travels, but some of the commonly administered vaccines are listed below.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is a gastrointestinal disease that can cause mild to severe illness and is brought about by the Hepatitis A virus. Individuals who have neither been vaccinated nor been previously infected are at risk of infection. Although Hepatitis A results in an inflammation of the liver for which there is no specific treatment, almost everyone fully recovers. The symptoms of those infected with Hepatitis A vary widely but can include fevers, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, dark-coloured urine, and jaundice (yellowing of eyes and skin).  

Hepatitis A virus is primarily transmitted by the faecal-oral route meaning that poor sanitation, lack of safe water, use of recreational drugs, and living in a household with an infected person are among the list risk factors.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a potentially life-threatening viral infection in the liver caused by the Hepatitis B virus. Globally, Hepatitis B is a major health problem causing both acute and chronic diseases. The vaccines offered for this are safe, effective, and provide valuable protection against developing complications like cirrhosis or liver cancer. Some acute symptoms of Hepatitis B include jaundice, extreme fatigue, vomiting, nausea, and abdominal pain. In some cases, Hepatitis B can lead to death in those who develop acute liver failure as a result of being infected with the Hepatitis B virus.

Hepatitis B virus is transmitted through exposure to infected blood and body fluids. This means that Hepatitis B can spread through contaminated needles and syringes either through injury or among persons who inject drugs. Hepatitis B can also be sexually transmitted with exposure to salvia and menstrual, vaginal, and seminal fluids.

Typhoid 

The bacterium Salmonella Typhi lives only in humans and causes a life-threatening infection called typhoid fever. The bacteria causing typhoid fever, multiply and spread into the bloodstream once contaminated foods are eaten or non-potable water is drunk. As a result, typhoid is common in locales with poor sanitation of foods and a lack of safe drinking water.

Prolonged symptoms of typhoid fever include high fevers, fatigue, nausea, headaches, and gastrointestinal conditions. In some severe cases, Salmonella Typhi may lead to very serious complications or even death. Typhoid fever can be treated with antibiotics; however, individuals may still carry the bacteria when no symptoms are present.

Polio

Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious viral disease that is transmitted from person to person through the faecal-oral route. Since the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the collaboration of governments and other charities has seen a great reduction in poliovirus cases. Two of the three strains of wild poliovirus have officially been certified as globally eradicated. While there are no more cases of wild poliovirus type 2 or 3, wild poliovirus type 1 still affects Pakistan and Afghanistan (as of 2020).
 
Polio can only be prevented through vaccination. There is no cure for polio. Many people who are infected with polio do not develop symptoms and as a result, the disease can go unnoticed. However, the proportion of individuals who do become ill can develop potentially fatal paralysis.
 

Cholera

Cholera is caused by ingesting either food or water that is contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. This disease affects both children and adults, taking between 12 hours and 5 days after ingestion to show symptoms. While the majority of people infected with cholera do not develop any symptoms, cholera has the potential to develop acute water diarrhoea. Without treatments such as administration of oral rehydration solution (ORS) or, in severe cases, intravenous fluids cholera can cause dehydration and death.

Japanese Encephalitis

Japanese encephalitis virus is spread by mosquitoes and is the main cause of viral encephalitis across many Asian countries. Most Japanese encephalitis virus infections are without apparent symptoms or with mild fevers and headaches. In saying this, there is still a risk of severe disease which is categorised by a rapid onset of conditions such as neck stiffness, coma, seizures, and potentially death. Japanese encephalitis treatment consists of stabilising and relieving symptoms experienced by patients.

Rabies

Rabies is a widespread and vaccine-preventable viral disease. Once established and clinical symptoms appear, the fatality rate of rabies is incredibly high. Although rabies affects both domestic and wild animals, the sizeable portion of rabies virus transmissions to humans is through domestic dogs’ scratches and bites. Initial symptoms include a fever and unusual sensations at the wound site. Rabies disease takes two forms. Furious rabies leads to death through cardio-respiratory arrest, while paralytic rabies gradually leads to death as a coma develops.

Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is a serious, potentially life-threatening viral disease spread by infected mosquitoes. It is endemic in tropical regions of Africa and South America. The illness can range from mild symptoms to severe disease involving fever, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), which gives the disease its name. In some cases, yellow fever can progress to bleeding, shock, organ failure, and even death.

Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent yellow fever. A single dose of the yellow fever vaccine provides lifelong immunity in most individuals. For travelers heading to high-risk areas, vaccination is often required for entry, and a certificate of vaccination may be needed for certain destinations.

travel health Vietnamese woman

"Travelling is good for your health and necessary for your amusement."

Thomas Jefferson

Timely PCR Swab Service

Available between 8:30am – 9am

 

  1. Short Telephone Consult with the patient – bulk billed if Medicare eligible. Private fees with no Medicare rebates apply if the patient has not seen us in the last 12 months.
  2. The doctor will request a respiratory panel for viruses and bacteria (where clinically appropriate).  For example, Influenza, Covid, RSV, mycoplasma, pertussis and so forth.  Not all possible infections are on this panel.  The doctor may decline the request if it is not appropriate and direct the patient accordingly.
  3. Normal fees will apply if more than swabbing is requested.  Clinical examination and other requests requires a normal consultation at another time.
  4. Patient arrives at the car park next to Building 10 before 11am.  Or takes the pathology request to another 4Cyte collection centre.
  5. Patient calls reception to notify of their arrival so the 4Cyte Pathology Collector can gown up and go the patient’s car to swab the patient.
  6. PCR swab gets sent to 4Cyte.  The processing times varies according to workflows.
  7. 4Cyte will SMS the patient with the Covid results.  Positive PCR test results for other respiratory viruses or bacteria are not named.  A negative PCR result doesn’t mean the patient is infection free.  These swabs narrow down the possibilities and guide appropriate treatments.
  8. An appropriate appointment needs to be made for results in person, via video or via phone.  Normal fees applies for these consult.  Normal fees applies if the doctor calls the patient for further clinical advice and management.