Bhutan

MAIN HEALTH RISKS

• Malaria is present in southern Bhutan, close to the Indian border, below 2,000 meters. Strains are higly resistant to chloroquine (zone 3).
• There is no yellow fever in the country.
• There are episodically outbreaks of dengue fever.
• Outbreaks of meningococcal disease occur regularly but do not constitute a serious risks for tourists.
• Cases of type B Japanese encephalitis are regularly reported in rural areas.
• There are cases of animal rabies in the country.
• Diarrheic diseases are frequent.

FOOD SAFETY

• Gastric diseases are common among tourists who are not accustomed to local food or who do not take precautions.
• Do not drink tap water and favor bottled mineral water, without ice ; avoid eating ice cream and sherbet.
• Avoid eating raw or undercooked dishes, especially meat or fish. If possible, order hot dishes.
• Bring anti-diarrhea medication with you.
• Wash your hands carefully before each meal.

IMMUNIZATIONS AND MEDICATION

• Travellers entering the country from an endemic area are required to present a certificate of immunization against yellow fever.
Systematically:
• Hepatitis A: the vaccination is available for children at least one year old. For persons who were born before 1945, who have spent their childhood in a developing country or who have had an icterus, it may prove useful to search previously for serous antibodies in order to avoid an unnecessary shot.
• Hepatitis B: the vaccination is available for children at least two months old.
• Diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis: get a booster shot before leaving if your last shot is more than ten years old.



Depending on the duration and conditions of the trip:
• Typhoid fever: if the stay is occurring in precarious hygiene condition. The immunization is available for children at least 2 years old.
• Rabies : recommended for long stays in isolation. The immunization should be given to children as soon as they are able to walk.
• Neisseria meningitidis meningitis: for long stays or in case of close contacts with local population in an epidemic area. The immunization is available for children at least 2 years old.
• Japanese encephalitis: for stays longer than a month in rural areas during the rain season. The immunization is available for children at least one year old.
• Tuberculosis: in case of a long stay, it is recommended to have children immunized against tuberculosis as soon as they reach the age of one month, and against mumps, measles and rubella when they reach the age of nine months.
• Recommended chemoprophylaxis against malaria: chloroquine (commercial name: Nivaquine).

HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURES

Thimphu
• Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, Kawa Jangsa: phone + 975 2 324 817, fax + 975 2 325 384

EMERGENCY CONTACTS

• Firemen: 110
• Ambulances: 112
• Police: 113

CLIMATE

• Bhutan is mostly mountainous, and the climate varies widely depending on the altitude.
• Climate is subtropical in the Duars Plain, in the south, with high humidity and heavy rainfalls.
• Central valleys are dryer, with hot summers and cool winters.
• When to go: between October and March.