Insurance
A travel insurance policy that covers theft, loss and medical treatment is highly recommended. Make sure the insurance covers the activities that you will be undertaking during your stay in Nepal such as trekking or river-rafting.

Immunization
Nepal does not require any particular immunization for your visit. Cholera, Meningitis, Tetanus & Diphtheria, Typhoid and Gamma Globulin are some of the vaccinations that should be considered for your trip. Please consult your physician and get a complete check-up before your departure.

Medical Kit
A simple but adequate medical kit can be most useful without taking much space in your baggage. The following is recommended as tried and true list of items.

• Aspirin or Panadol - for pain or fever.
• Acetaminophen (Paracetamol).
• Antacid tablets.
• Antihistamine - useful as a decongestant for colds, allergies, to ease the itch from insect bites and stings or to help prevent motion sickness.
• Kaolin preparation (Pepto-Bismol), Imodium or Lomotil - for stomach upsets.
• Rehydration mixture - for treatment of severe diarrhea.
• Antiseptic, mercurochrome and antibiotic powder or similar 'dry' spray - for cuts and grazes.
• Sulamyd 10% eye drops.
• Calamine lotion - to ease irritation from bites or stings.
• Throat lozenges (Strepsils).
• Bandages and Band-Aids - for minor injuries.
• Scissors, tweezers and a thermometer
• Insect repellent, sun block, suntan lotion, chapsticks and water-purification tablets.
• Moleskin.
• Antibodies - useful if you are traveling well off the beaten track but they must be prescribed.
• Acetazolamide (Diamox) or Dexamethasone - if traveling extensively beyond 3000 meters.

General Knowledge
To make yourself an expert on health aspects of Nepal would not be practical. However, one should have some knowledge on Altitude Sickness (AMS), Diarrhea, Giardia, Dysentery, Cholera, Hepatitis, Rabies, Typhoid, Tetanus, Meningitis, Diphtheria, Malaria and HIV/AIDS. Common sense can often save lives. For a complete discussion on these matters, please consult the Lonely Planet Books on Nepal.

Prevention the Best Medicine
Care in what you eat and drink is the most important health rule. The number one rule is don't consume the water including ice. Reputable brands of bottled water or soft drinks are generally fine. Take care with fruit juice, particularly if water may have been added.

Milk should be treated with suspicion as it is often unpasteurised. Boiled milk is fine if it is kept hygienically, and yogurt is usually good. Tea or coffee should also be OK since the water would have been boiled. Salads and fruit should be washed with purified water or peeled where possible. Ice cream is usually OK if it is a reputable brand name, but beware of ice cream that has melted and been refrozen. Thoroughly cooked food is the safest but not if it has been left to cool. Stomach upsets are the most likely travel health problem but the majority of these upsets will be relatively minor. Wash your hands frequently, as it's quite easy to contaminate your own food. You should clean your teeth with purified water rather than straight from the tap. Avoid climatic extremes: keep out of the sun when it is hot, dress warmly when it is cold. Avoid potential diseases by dressing sensibly. You can get worm infections through bare feet. Try to avoid insect bites by covering bare skin when insects are around, by screening windows or by using insect repellents.