Certificates of cholera and small pox vaccination are required for those who are coming from infected areas. While yellow fever vaccination is required for visitors visiting from infected areas.

It is advisable to have the following vaccinations before visiting the Philippines:

> Hepatitis A
> Hepatitis B
> Japanese encephalitis
> Rabis
> Tuberculosis
> Typhoid

Malaria
Malaria is a serious disease carried by mosquitoes, usually transmitted through the infected female mosquito. The risk exists in areas below 600 m except in Manila, Catanduanes, Cebu and Bohol provinces. Symptoms of malaria (chilling, fever, too much sweating and headache) occur for at least 7 to 9 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. In order to prevent malaria those people going to malaria risk areas should seek medical advice to the medical centres of the area; take a chemoprophylaxis; prefer to sleep in quarters with screened windows and door or in a mosquito net; wear light long sleeves and long pants during night activities; use insect repellant. In case infected by malaria, consult a physician for a blood smear to find out the particular malaria species present in patient’s blood in order to provide the appropriate anti-malarial medicine.

Typhoid Fever
Recently, there was an outbreak of Typhoid fever in the Philippines in which 1,400 of people (March 2008) where affected in the northern city of the country. Typhoid fever is a serious disease which caused by bacteria Salmonella. It is transmitted through eating the food and drink that is contaminated by feces or urine of infected people. The symptoms of the disease (mild to sever fever, headache, diarrhea and body pains) usually appear after a week or three of exposure. Typhoid fever can be treated by antibiotics such as ampicillin and chloramphenicol. In order to prevent this disease it is necessary for travelers to be vaccinated before coming to the country.

What to Pack
Depending on one’s health and travel plans, a medical kit is advised to carry throughout the trip. Some items to carry are: Acetaminophen or paracetamol for fever or pain; alcohol with at least 70% solution; dimenhydrinate for motion sickness; antacid; laxatives for constipation; antihistamines for allergy symptoms; antibiotics ointments for minor injuries; diarrhea medication; first aid kits, such as band aids, gauze pads, eye drops, lip balm, thermometer, sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) and sunglasses.

Precautions
Food and water safety should be assured in order to avoid food and water borne diseases which are cause by unsafe sources of drinking water, improper disposal of waste, unhygienic practices, as well as unsafe food handling. Traveler’s diarrhea is the most common illness among travelers which usually cause by food and drinks intake.

Food
In order to ensure safety and prevent illness travelers should take note of the following: avoid eating food that can be purchased from the street or in establishments with inadequate hygienic conditions; avoid eating raw and undercooked food; be sure that food are cooked thoroughly and served hot; take only pasteurized dairy products; its is necessary to wash one’s hands or use a hand gel before eating, after using toilets, or after having contacts with animals.

Water
Travelers are advised to avoid consumption of beverages obtained from the street. It is more advisable to drink bottled or boiled water or carbonated drinks in cans or bottles than drinking from tap water, fountain drink or locally prepared fruit juices.

Travelers are advised to boil tap water and add a pinch of salt before drinking in order to purify and improve the taste. Dropping a chemical disinfectant with iodine is also another way to treat water when boiling can not be done. Portable filters are also an alternative to insure that the water is safe to drink.

Other Health Hazards

Sun burn
Sun burn is an over exposure to the radiation commonly form sun rays. It usually cause by Ultraviolet radiation that leads to inflammation of the skin. Common signs of sun burn: skin starts to become red and painful after an hour or five of exposure to the sun, sometimes skin blistering occurs, and skin peeling which occurs between 3 days to 8 after exposure. The best treatment for sun burn is prevention. It is necessary to use sunscreen protection, applying SPF 30 or higher is recommended; Protective clothing, sunglasses and wearing hat or cap is necessary to prevent excessive sun exposure. Mild sunburn can be treated at home (by taking a cold shower or bath or by placing wet cloth on the burned area; taking aspirin or applying moisturizing cream or aloe- based lotion provides comfort) while severe one needs medical attention.

Heat stroke
Heat stroke or sun stroke is a sever illness occurs if there is too much exposure to the sun and usually goes up in hot and humid weather. Signs of heat exhaustion are warm flushed skin, dizziness, faintness, headache and lethargy. In order to prevent this one should drink plenty of water and avoid drinking alcohol, coffee or tea, wearing wide brimmed hat and light long sleeved clothes. In case of emergency, the person should be moved and lied down in cool shady place and let them sip water or fruit juice if they are conscious, or one can apply cool water or ice packs to the armpit, ankles, groin or wrists.

Miliaria
Miliaria or pricky heat is a skin disease marked by small and itchy rashes. Mostly common in humid and hot places, its common signs are small fluid filled blisters on the skin, and red itchy rashes. In order to prevent this taking a bath frequently is suggested, limit one’s exposure to the sun, always wear light loose clothing , apply moisturizing cream or calamine lotion, to cool and soothe the skin and use powders containing cornstarch to absorb sweats.