INSURANCE
Make sure that you have adequate health insurance.

RECOMMENDED VACCINATIONS
Plan ahead for getting your vaccinations some of them require more than one injection over a period of time, while others should not be given together. Note that some vaccinations should not be given during pregnancy or to people with allergies - discuss these issues with your doctor.
It is recommended that you seek medical advice at least six weeks before travel. Be aware that there is often a greater risk of dis¬ease among children and during pregnancy.
Record all vaccinations on an Inter¬national Certificate of Vaccination, avail¬able from your doctor or government health department. It is a good idea to carry this proof of your vaccinations when travelling in Cambodia.

FURTHER READING
If you are planning on travelling in remote areas for a long period of time, you may con¬sider taking a more detailed health guide, such as Lonely Planet's Healthy Travel: Asia & India, which is a handy pocket-sized guide that's packed with useful informa-tion including pre-trip planning, emer¬gency first aid, immunisation and disease information, and what to do if you get sick on the road. Where There Is No Doctor, by David Werner, is a very detailed guide intended for those going to work in an un-derdeveloped country.
Lonely Planet's Travel with Children, by Cathy Lanigan, includes advice on travel health for younger children.

OTHER PREPARATIONS
Make sure you're healthy before you start travelling. If you're going on a long trip, make a visit to a dentist before you depart. If you wear glasses, take a spare pair and your prescription.
If you require a particular medication, ensure that you take an adequate supply, as it may not be available locally. Take part of the packaging that shows the generic name rather than the brand, which will make getting replacements easier. To avoid any problems, it's a good idea to have a legible prescription or letter from your doctor to show that you legally use the medication.

Medical Kit Check List
Following is a list of items you should con¬sider including in your medical kit - con¬sult your pharmacist for brands available in your country.
aspirin or paracetamol (acetaminophen in the USA) - for pain or fever antihistamine - for allergies, eg hay fever; to ease the itch from insect bites or stings; and to prevent motion sickness
cold and flu tablets, throat lozenges and nasal decongestant
multivitamins - consider for long trips, when dietary vitamin intake may be inadequate
antibiotics - consider including these if you're travelling well off the beaten track; see your doctor before you go, as they must be prescribed, and carry the pre¬scription with you
loperamide or diphenoxylate, which are 'blockers' for diarrhoea prochlorperazine or metaclopramide -for nausea and vomiting rehydration mixture - to prevent dehy¬dration, which may occur, for example, during bouts of diarrhoea; particularly important when travelling with children insect repellent, sunscreen, lip balm and eye drops
calamine lotion, sting relief spray or aloe vera - to ease irritation from sun¬burn and insect bites or stings antifungal cream or powder - for fungal skin infections and thrush antiseptic (such as povidone-iodine) for cuts and grazes
bandages, Band-Aids  (plasters)  and other wound dressings water purification tablets or iodine scissors, tweezers and a thermometer -note that mercury thermometers are prohibited by airlines sterile kit (sealed medical kit containing syringes and needles) - highly recom¬mended, as Cambodia has medical hy¬giene problems.

REQUIRED & RECOMMENDED VACCINATIONS
Vaccinations you may want to consider for a trip to Cambodia are listed here, but it is imperative that you discuss your needs with your doctor. For more details about the diseases themselves, see the individual entries later in this section.
-  Diphtheria & Tetanus Vaccinations for these two diseases are usually combined. After an initial course of three injections (usually given in childhood), boosters are necessary every 10 years.
•   Hepatitis A This vaccine provides long-term immunity after an initial injection and a booster at six to 12 months. Alternatively, an injection of gamma globulin can provide short-term protection against hepatitis A - two to six months, depending on the dose. It is reasonably effective and, unlike the vaccine, is protective immediately, but because it is a blood product, there are current concerns about its long-term safety. The hepatitis A vaccine is also available in a combined form with the hepatitis 8 vaccine - three injections over a six-month period are required.
-   Hepatitis B Travellers who should consider vaccination against hepatitis B include those on a long trip, as well as those visiting countries where there are high levels of hepatitis B infec¬tion (such as Cambodia), where blood transfusions may not be adequately screened or where sexual contact or needle sharing is a possibility. Vaccination involves three injections, with a booster at 12 months. More-rapid courses are available if necessary.
. Japanese B Encephalitis Consider vaccination against this disease if spending a month or longer in Cambodia, when making repeated trips or if visiting during an epidemic. It involves three Injections over 30 days.
• i Polio Everyone should keep up-to-date with this vaccination, normally given in childhood. A
booster every 10 years maintains immunity.
s Rabies Vaccination should be considered by those spending a month or longer in Cambodia, especially if they are cycling, handling animals, caving or travelling to remote areas. It's also recommended for children, as they may not report a bite. Vaccination involves having three injections over 21 to 28 days. Vaccinated people who are bitten or scratched by an animal will require two booster injections of vaccine; those not vaccinated require more.
-- Tuberculosis The risk of travellers contracting TB is usually very low, unless you will be living with, or closely associated with, local people. Vaccination against TB (BCG) is recommended for children and young adults who will be living in high-risk areas, including Cambodia, for three months or more.
.. Typhoid Vaccination against typhoid may be required if you are travelling for more than a couple of weeks in Cambodia.
• Yellow Fever A yellow fever vaccine is now the only vaccine that Is a legal requirement for entry into Cambodia when coming from an infected area. This refers to a direct flight from an infected area, but there are no direct flights from Africa or South America, the most likely places of infection.