Health, India

There is no dearth of good medical facilities in India. There are decent private hospitals and nursing homes and are very affordable. Government hospitals are best avoided as the standards of hygiene are dismal. There are pharmacies (more popularly known as medical shops) everywhere, which are usually well stocked with drugs, though the names may differ, so it’s better to check the composition of the medicines first. It is also advisable to carry Malaria pills with you and to have all your vaccinations before coming to India.

There are certain areas where the risk of getting Malaria is high and if one is visiting these areas, it is advisable to take Malaria pills. But, otherwise, it is not absolutely essential to take them. The best you can do is wearing long sleeves and trousers and have a good spray against mosquitoes. In the end, everybody has to decide for himself, whenever he takes pills or not, while travelling through India.

There are some basic vaccinations which are a must before coming to India. You can get very cheap all the important vaccinations here in India as well. Therefore we recommend just to get the vaccinations, which the health insurance covers and do the rest of them during your first days here in India. For example the anti-rabies inoculation costs normally about 50 Euros in Europe while you can get it here for 7euros. The most common vaccinations you should really have are:

Hepatitis A in every case

Hepatitis B if it is possible that you have contact to the blood or body fluids

Rabies is really recommendable, but in the worst case (if you are bitten by a dog), it is best to directly go to the hospital. So if you plan to travel in villages, it is better to get your vaccination

Tetanus

Against dengue there is no vaccination

While travelling in India, especially by bus or while sleeping in cheap hotels, always check for bed bugs. If you find bed bugs in a hotel bed, make sure they change your room. If there are bed bugs in the sleeper of the bus you are travelling in, and the bus is full, all you can really do is to dust the sleeper really well and put a sheet over it and pray you do not get bitten. It is best to always drink bottled and sealed mineral water wherever you travel in India. And the safest place to but mineral water is in a pharmacy. Drinking tap water is not a good idea.
Do not eat any foodstuffs that are left uncovered or do not look fresh. Even in restaurants, it is best to avoid any uncooked foods like salads, unless it is a very good quality and hygienic place or a restaurant in a five star hotel, where you can be sure the standard of hygiene is very high.