South Asia

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a presidential parliamentary democracy with a developing economy. The country has been seriously disrupted since 1983 by a civil war and related urban terrorism. Despite the armed insurgency, Sri Lanka's beaches and archeological sites attract tens of thousands of visitors from around the world. The capital city of Colombo, the Cultural Triangle (Kandy, Anuradhapura, and Polonnaruwa), and the west and southwest coasts all have good tourist facilities.

CRIME INFORMATION: Sri Lanka has a rising crime rate, and criminals, including outlaw gangs of military deserters, increasingly use automatic weapons when committing crimes.

MEDICAL FACILITIES: Medical facilities outside Colombo are limited. Medical supplies are uneven; travellers should carry any special drugs with them. There are five large hospitals in the Colombo area, including two with emergency trauma service, which are Asiri Hospital and the government General Hospital. Serious medical problems may require evacuation to the nearest country where adequate medical facilities or treatment are available, usually Thailand or Singapore.

Arthropodborne diseases:

• Malaria
• Filariasis
• Dengue fever
• Japanese encephalitis

We recommend:

• Usage of long-sleeved shirt and long pants to wear whenever possible while outside, to prevent illnesses carried by insects
• Usage og insect repellent containing DEET (diethylmethyltoluamide), in 30%–35% strength for adults and 6%–10% for children. Unless you are staying in air-conditioned or well-screened housing
• Usage of a bed net impregnated with the insecticide permethrin.
• Staying and sleeping in air-conditioned houses.

Water- and foodborne diseases:

• Amoebiasis
• Typhoid fever
• Brucellosis
• Cholora
• ETEC (E.coli)
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis E
• Giardiasis
• Echinococcosis

Other diseases:

• Hepatitis B
• Rabies

Vaccination recommended:

• Hepatitis A or Immune Globulin
• Hepatitis B or Immune Globulin
• Japanese encephalitis - only if you plan to visit rural areas for more than four weeks
• Typhoid fever - vaccination is particularly important because of the presence of S. typhi strains resistant to multiple antibiotics in this region
• Rabies - if risk for contact with wild or domestic animals
• A booster for tetanus/diphtheria - if not covered which indicates not vaccinated within th last 10 years.
• Yellow fever when entering from a yellow fever endemic region

Stay healthy:

• Wash hands often with soap and water.
• Drink only boiled water, or water and carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans
• Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes.
• Eat only thoroughly cooked food or fruits and vegetables you have peeled yourself. Remember: boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it
• Protect yourself from insects by remaining in well-screened areas, using repellents (applied sparingly at 4-hour intervals) and permethrin-impregnated mosquito nets, and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants from dusk through dawn.
• Prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot
• Do not travel at night
• Trafic accidents are frequent, be careful
• Always use latex condoms to reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases
• Don’t eat food purchased from street vendors.
• Use chloroquine and proguanil as malaria prophylaxis in risk areas (Chloroquine resistance)

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