Health advisory
for India travel
Essential health information for international patients travelling to India for medical treatment or wellness. Read this before your journey — then ask us anything.
Before you travel
India is a safe and welcoming destination for international patients, but informed preparation makes an enormous difference to your experience and health outcomes. This advisory covers vaccinations, insurance, climate, food and water safety, emergency contacts, and practical precautions. It is updated regularly and provided to every patient as part of our pre-departure briefing.
Recommended vaccinations
The following recommendations are based on guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and NHS Travel Health. Your specific risk profile may differ — consult a travel clinic.
| Vaccine | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hepatitis A | Essential | Transmitted via contaminated food and water. Strongly recommended for all travellers. |
| Typhoid | Essential | Especially important if travelling beyond large city hospitals to rural wellness retreats. |
| Tetanus & Diphtheria (Td/Tdap) | Essential | Ensure your routine immunisation is up to date before travelling. |
| Hepatitis B | Recommended | Important for medical patients given potential exposure to blood products or procedures. |
| Rabies | Recommended | Recommended for stays longer than 4 weeks or travel to rural areas. Post-exposure treatment is available in India but pre-exposure vaccination simplifies management. |
| Japanese Encephalitis | Consider | For long stays in rural or agricultural areas, particularly during monsoon season (June–October). |
| Cholera | Consider | If travelling to areas with poor sanitation, or if you have a compromised immune system. |
| Influenza | Recommended | Recommended for all medical patients — particularly those undergoing surgery or immunosuppressive treatment. |
| COVID-19 | Recommended | Ensure your primary series and any boosters are up to date. Verify current entry requirements at time of travel. |
Travel insurance
Comprehensive travel insurance is not optional — it is essential for any international medical journey. A standard travel policy is typically not sufficient.
Medical evacuation & repatriation
Your policy must include air ambulance and medical repatriation coverage. This can cost €50,000–€150,000 without insurance. Ensure coverage is not capped at an amount that would be insufficient for long-haul repatriation.
Pre-existing condition waiver
Standard travel policies exclude pre-existing conditions. You need a policy that specifically covers — or at minimum does not exclude — the condition you are travelling to treat. Read the exclusions clause carefully.
Trip cancellation & delay
Medical journeys often involve non-refundable pre-payments to hospitals. Ensure your policy covers trip cancellation due to unforeseen medical deterioration, as well as delays caused by in-country medical developments.
Attendant coverage
If a family member is travelling with you on an MX (Attendant) Visa, ensure they also have appropriate travel and medical cover for the full duration of the trip.
Climate & best travel seasons
India's climate varies significantly by region and season. Choosing the right time matters — especially for post-surgical recovery and wellness retreats.
October – March (recommended)
The optimal window for most medical travel. Delhi and northern India: 10–25°C, dry and clear. Kerala and the south: warm (25–32°C) with low humidity — ideal for Ayurvedic retreats. Rishikesh and Himalayan foothills: cool to cold, best for yoga immersions.
April – May (manageable)
Hot and dry in northern India (35–45°C in Delhi). Post-surgical patients should ensure air-conditioned recovery accommodation and limit outdoor activity. Kerala and hill stations remain comfortable. Hydration is critical.
June – September (monsoon)
Heavy rainfall across most of India. Hospital-based treatment in major cities continues unaffected, but rural wellness retreats may be partially disrupted. Humidity is high; post-surgical wound care requires extra attention. Some Ayurvedic centres offer off-peak rates. Not advised for first-time medical visitors.
Food & water safety
Gastrointestinal illness is the most common health complaint among travellers to India. Simple, consistent precautions are highly effective.
- ✓Drink only bottled or filtered water — including for brushing teeth. Request sealed bottles at your hotel or accommodation. All India Cure Global-curated accommodations supply filtered drinking water.
- ✓Avoid ice in drinks unless from a verified filtered source. At high-end hotel restaurants and your recovery accommodation, ice is usually safe; elsewhere, decline it.
- ✓Eat freshly cooked, hot food. Well-cooked restaurant meals at reputable establishments are generally safe. Avoid raw salads, unpeeled fruit, and street food, particularly in the first week of arrival.
- ✓Wash hands frequently with soap or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser (at least 60% alcohol) — especially before eating and after hospital or clinic visits.
- ✓Post-surgery dietary restrictions provided by your hospital take precedence over all general guidance. Your coordinator will liaise with your recovery accommodation kitchen to ensure clinical dietary requirements are met.
- ✓Carry oral rehydration salts (ORS) in your travel health kit. Mild traveller's diarrhoea can usually be managed with rehydration; if symptoms are severe or persistent, contact your coordinator immediately.
Air quality & pollution
Air quality varies significantly across India. Patients with respiratory conditions, cardiac conditions, or post-surgical sensitivity should plan accordingly.
Delhi & northern cities
Air quality in Delhi can be poor, particularly October–January when crop burning and winter inversions increase particulate matter. Cardiac and respiratory patients should discuss this with their treating physician. N95 masks are advisable for outdoor exposure during peak pollution periods. Hospital environments are climate-controlled and filtered.
Southern & coastal India
Kerala, Chennai, and coastal destinations generally have significantly better air quality year-round. Wellness retreat locations — Kerala, Rishikesh, Dharamshala, Mysore — are specifically chosen for their clean environments and are well-suited to post-treatment recovery.
Monitoring & precautions
Check real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) at iqair.com before and during your stay. On high-pollution days, limit outdoor activity, keep windows closed, and use N95 masks if you need to go outside. Our coordinators monitor conditions during your stay and advise proactively.
Medications & prescription guidance
- ✓Carry at least 4 weeks' extra supply of any regular prescription medication. While most common medications are available in India, branded equivalents may differ and sourcing can take time.
- ✓Keep medications in original, labelled packaging and carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your GP. Customs officials occasionally inspect medication at Indian entry points.
- ✓Certain medications — particularly opioids, psychotropics, and some controlled substances — require advance notification to Indian customs. We advise on this during your pre-departure preparation.
- ✓Carry medications in hand luggage, not checked bags. Temperature extremes in cargo holds and the risk of luggage loss make checked-bag storage inadvisable for essential medicines.
- ✓Do not modify or discontinue any regular medication before or during travel without consulting your GP and the treating physician in India. Your Indian medical team will be briefed on your full medication list before your arrival.
Emergency contacts
Save these before you travel. Your India Cure Global coordinator is your first point of contact for any medical concern during your stay.
India national emergency numbers
(police, fire, ambulance)
(most states)
helpline
24/7 coordinator line
Hospital emergency line
Your dedicated coordinator will provide the direct emergency contact number for your treating hospital in your patient information pack, prior to departure. Keep this accessible at all times during your stay.
Your home country embassy
Locate and save the contact details of your home country's embassy or consulate in India before travel. In case of serious incident, loss of travel documents, or repatriation requirements, your embassy is a critical support resource.
Insurance emergency line
Save the 24/7 emergency line from your travel insurance policy. In the event of hospitalisation, medical evacuation, or repatriation, you will need to contact your insurer immediately to authorise costs and arrange logistics.
Pre-departure checklist
Use this checklist in the 2–4 weeks before departure. Your coordinator will review this with you during the pre-departure call.
Have questions about your specific health situation before travelling? Your coordinator is here to help.
Speak to your coordinator How we help