Health
& Medicine
Our Journeys are all led by Qualified trek leaders. We
are proud to have the best panel of leaders of any Trek Company.
Our classic and tea house Himalayan treks are led by professionally
trained leaderrs. We believe very strongly that it should be
completely clear what is included in the price of your holiday.
Responsible Adventures has a long standing
reputation at the safest wilderness operations in the Himalaya.
All of our trek leaders have some first aid background. However
we cannot guarantee there will be a doctor on your trek. Treks
however do carry comprehensive medical kits. We do ask you to
bring your own anti-biotics in consultation with your own doctor.
If you are a qualified doctor or nurse and would like to take
on the role of ‘trek doctor' we would be happy to discuss
this with you and offer suitably qualified people a discount.
In case of a serious medical emergency we try and organise the
fastest evacuation possible by road or air to the nearest hospital.
All people travelling with Responsible Adventures
are required to buy a travel insurance from country of origin,
which should include air evacuation incase of medical emergencies.
Immunisation Guide
You will need to consult your doctor at least 6 weeks prior
to departure, to work out an immunisation schedule relevant
to your destination country. The following is rough guide for
immunization commonly applicable to many of our trips. However
we must stress that this is only a basic guide - and you must
abide by the advice of your doctor.
- Polio - Normally you will just need an
adult booster.
- Tetanus - An updated shot is recommended.
- Typhoid - A full course normally requires
2 injections separated by an interval of 4-6 weeks, however
this series is now being introduced in pill form
- Hepatitis (A) & (B).
- Anti-malarial prophylactics - Please
consult with your doctor for the most up to date information
about anti-malarial medication for the areas that you will
be visiting.
- Meningitis A+C - This vaccination is
now recommended for some countries, eg Nepal
- Rabies pre-exposure vaccination - Please
consult with your doctor for advice on whether you need
rabies pre-exposure vaccination. This vaccination does not
eliminate the need for urgent evacuation to a suitable medical
facility for additional treatment, in the unlikely case
of your being bitten. However, it does simplify that additional
treatment and also prolongs the period that you can safely
delay before receiving post-exposure treatment.
- Yellow Fever - Usually required for South
American and African countries.
Diamox: A number of studies have consistently shown that
the controlled taking of Diamox (Acetazolamide) can be effective
in reducing some of the symptoms of AMS (Acute mountain
sickness). We would recommend that you ask your doctor to
provide you with a small supply of Diamox (12 x 250mg tablets)
if your trip involves periods above 2500/3000 metres (8000-10000
feet.) You may have to get this drug on a private prescription.
Given enough notice, your doctor or local health clinic should
be able to administer all the above.
Effects of Altitude
Our treks are designed to allow gradual height gain,
spread over a number of days. There is no way of predicting
who will suffer from altitude, but for the vast majority,
the slow ascent to height of our treks will produce minimal
effects.
Personal First Aid Kit
You should bring a small personal first aid kit with you,
containing the following items. When packing, ensure this
is well padded as medicines often get damaged in transit.
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