MoHAP's Health Advice and Guidance for Travelers

Dubai, 7th Aug 2019: The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) would like to provide some health advice and tips related to travel destinations. The ministry, accordingly, recommends travelers to visit Travelers Health Clinics ahead of their departure.

Jet Lag
Travelers might experience the biological clock disorder during long trips, especially those who travel to distant countries, where the change is to adjust the internal timing of the human body. Its most common symptoms are sleeping disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, lack of concentration, fatigue and general weakness.
MoHAP recommends taking adequate sleep, rest during long trips, drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding drinking coffee, tea and other stimulants, as well as eating healthy food.

Motion or Travel Sickness
Travel sickness is caused by disturbance in human senses and excess movement. Its most common symptoms are dizziness, tiredness, nausea, headache and vomiting. To relieve symptoms of travel sickness, MoHAP recommends changing the place of sitting in the aircraft, choosing a suitable place such as the front of the plane or at the wing. Also, the ministry recommends avoiding eating immediately at the beginning of the trip, chewing gum or mint candy, and to consult your doctor to prescribe a drug that relieves the symptoms of vertigo.

Disturbance of the Cardiovascular System
Sitting for long periods of time causes a disturbance of the cardiovascular system, which might lead to deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT is one of the factors that can lead to blood clotting in deep veins, especially in legs. MoHAP advises travelers to walk almost every 3 hours or do chair exercises on a regular basis and wear loose clothing.
There are also health risks associated with the environment, including health disorders associated with high altitudes, represented in a number of symptoms that appear when climbing into the highlands. Its symptoms are fatigue, headache, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, loss of appetite and others. 
MoHAP advises travelers to consult with the doctor, especially those suffering from heart or respiratory diseases, taking into account drinking plenty of fluids to avoid drought and also avoid smoking and alcohol.

Diseases Caused by Mosquito Bites, Insects or Infected Animals
Curiosity often drives travelers to touch animals, which may be infected with many diseases. Therefore, MoHAP recommends avoiding direct contact with animals, especially in places where rabies is prevalent. 
It’s recommended to consult your doctor immediately when exposed to a bite of an animal or to a bite of insects, taking into account the washing of the infected area by sterile solution.
In the event of traveling to mosquito-infested areas, the traveler may need to use protective doses for mosquito bites and to wear long-sleeved clothing.

Exposure to Sunstroke, Heat Exhaustion or Extreme Cold
Some travelers may experience many symptoms due to severe temperature imbalance, which can lead to serious health problems. Therefore, the traveler is advised to avoid exposure to direct sunlight for long periods of time, to put protective creams, as well as to wear the headcover and clothes covering the hands and feet, and drink plenty of fluids to avoid the drought.

Food and Waterborne Infections
Food is a basic need for travel, and travelers may experience many food-borne and contaminated water diseases that cause symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, fever, or vomiting.
Therefore, take into account to drink enough water from reliable sources, and eat healthy food and inquire about the contents of the meal. 
Food offered by street vendors should be avoided to avert the symptoms of food poisoning, as well as reducing the intake of salad as much as possible, and not to eat uncooked food. 
Also, it’s important to take the necessary vaccinations before traveling to avoid some food-borne diseases.