Health & Safety
Most medical facilities in Burma are inadequate for even routine medical care.
In an emergency, you would likely need to be medically evacuated to a hospital outside Burma. Medical evacuation from Burma is expensive and is most often transacted in cash
Medical Insurance: Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage overseas. Most care providers overseas only accept cash payments. You normally pay in cash , and claim your insurance agent to pay back. Remember to collect all the bills as the proof for insurance company when you go home.
We strongly recommend supplemental insurance to cover medical evacuation.
Medication: Most pharmaceuticals on sale in Burma have been smuggled into the country, and many are counterfeit or adulterated. Travelers should consider Burmese pharmaceuticals generally unsafe to use and should bring their own medications for the duration of their stay in Burma.
If traveling with prescription medication, check with the Government of Burma to ensure that the medication is legal in Burma. Always carry your prescription medication in original packaging with your doctor’s prescription.
The following diseases are prevalent:
- HIV/AIDS
- Tuberculosis
- Malaria
- Dengue fever
- Other insect-borne infections including chikungunya, scrub typhus, and Japanese encephalitis
- Hepatitis
- Zika
Zika Virus: Zika virus is a mosquito-borne illness, typically transmitted by the day biting Aedes aegypti mosquito, that can be spread from a pregnant woman to her unborn baby as well as through sexual contact and blood transfusion. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has concluded that the Zika virus is a cause of microcephaly and other neurological conditions. For general information and the latest updates about Zika and steps to prevent mosquito bites and sexual exposure to the virus
Vaccinations: Be up-to-date on all vaccinations recommended by your doctor. Get travel vaccines and medicines because there is a risk of these diseases in the country you are visiting
Competent medical advice and treatment may not be available outside Rangoon and Mandalay, and any services provided will not be to the standard of those in your countries. Avoid intrusive examinations, including emergency dental work, due to irregular hygiene standards and the danger of infection, particularly by hepatitis B and C and HIV/AIDS.
Cases of cholera have been reported in some areas of Burma. Poor sanitation and eating contaminated food can increase the risk of diarrhoeal illnesses. Drink or use only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks.
Cases of dengue fever have been reported in Burma, including in the regions of Rangoon and Mandalay. You should take appropriate precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitos.
Japanese Encephalitis is present in Burma. The virus is spread by mosquitoes and can be fatal.
STAY HEALTHY & SAFE
Learn actions you can take to stay healthy and safe on your trip. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in Burma, so your behaviors are important
Unclean food and water can cause travelers' diarrhea and other diseases. Reduce your risk by sticking to safe food and water habits.
Eat
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Food that is cooked and served hot
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Hard-cooked eggs
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Fruits and vegetables you have washed in clean water or peeled yourself
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Pasteurized dairy products
Don't Eat
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Food served at room temperature
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Food from street vendors
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Raw or soft-cooked (runny) eggs
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Raw or undercooked (rare) meat or fish
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Unwashed or unpeeled raw fruits and vegetables
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Unpasteurized dairy products
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”Bushmeat” (monkeys, bats, or other wild game)
Drink
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Bottled water that is sealed
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Water that has been disinfected
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Ice made with bottled or disinfected water
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Carbonated drinks
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Hot coffee or tea
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Pasteurized milk
Don’t Drink
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Tap or well water
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Ice made with tap or well water
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Drinks made with tap or well water (such as reconstituted juice)
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Unpasteurized milk
Take Medicine
Talk with your doctor about taking prescription or over-the-counter drugs with you on your trip in case you get sick.