If you are an HIV sufferer before travelling it is important to confirm your plans with your doctor, as he/she will be able to give you advice on how to maintain and take your HIV medication whilst travelling. Doctors can also provide information to HIV suffers on the types of vaccinations they should either have or avoid during their travels and give valuable recommendations on the names of healthcare facilities that treat patients with HIV.
Before traveling, it is important to establish whether your HIV medication is legal at your desired international destination, this is an essential element to consider as some HIV/AIDS medications are considered to be illegal narcotics in certain countries. Information on this can be obtained from the consular office of the desired destination.
Obtaining medical treatment can be difficult for patients with HIV, usually countries in Europe have the best HIV treatment facilities, however it is always best to check the AIDSMap where you can find out basic information about where to find medical help when traveling with HIV. Some countries do not have advanced health care systems in all regions, for example rural health care in parts of Asia may be limited, but in larger cities it is more widely available.
In the event of a medical emergency abroad it is always suggested that when seeking HIV treatment patients should search provincial or national capitals. Once patients have seeked treatment it can often be very costly. Therefore in order to be able to afford treatment in the event of emergency it is essential that prior to their travels HIV patients purchase appropriate travel insurance.
Fit 2 Trip specialise in travel insurance for individuals with pre-existing health conditions such as HIV, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Fit 2 Trip aims to provide travel insurance to everybody, regardless of their medical circumstances or age.
In addition to medical insurance for travel, Fit 2 Trip offer both single trip and cancellation only policies with discounts available for families and couples.
It is also important to note that some countries enforce significant restrictions on HIV patients and if HIV patients travel to these countries without following appropriate procedures, or are believed to be hiding their condition from authorities they are likely to suffer serious legal consequences. To find out more about the restrictions of each country HIV patients should always check the consular offices of their desired destination before they travel.
Countries that HIV/Aids travellers are completely banned from include: Oman, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, and Brunei.