Budget travellers urged to consider health issues

Travellers who may be on a strict budget - such as those on a gap year - have been advised to factor in the cost of vaccinations and basic medication.

According to Lynda Bramham, senior nurse adviser at MASTA-travel-health.com, many younger backpackers and travellers fail to account for the cost of the relevant jabs when heading to far-flung countries.

She added that some of these travellers are in fact surprised that they may have to pay for vaccinations and advised that some jabs are not available on the NHS, also calling for holidaymakers to be more aware of the health risks they could be exposed to.

"We feel there is definitely a need for an increased education on travel health risks. You only need to travel around parts of Asia to see the evidence; it's surprising how many travellers you can see stroking stray dogs or having tattoos on the street," Ms Bramham commented.

Thousands of British travellers catch malaria while on holiday every year, according to the Malaria Awareness Campaign. Destinations where malaria is most prevalent include South and Central America, Africa and Asia.

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