Useful Tips

Going on holidays while needing dialysis does not need to be stressful. Your vacation simply requires a little bit more planning and forward thinking. Here are a few simple steps to structure your holiday planning:

1. Decide on your location for your holiday.
2. Research the available dialysis facilities. Pay particular attention to the standards used in that dialysis and make sure that patients with infectious diseases are either dialyzed separately or not accepted at all. A good indicator of safe dialysis practice is if the dialysis unit requests your serology.
3. Contact the dialysis facility and enquire about the booking process, documents required and availability during your planned holiday period.
4. Organize your dialysis first before you book the rest of your holiday. Or choose one of our all inclusive dialysis packages.
5. Try and find accommodation close to the dialysis centre so that you don’t spend the majority of your holiday in transit.
6. Make sure you have transportation to and from each dialysis either through the dialysis centre, your hotel, private driver or taxi.
7. Book your accommodation and flights.

Helpful hints of what you may need from your doctor:

1. Ask your doctor about travel vaccinations. For Bali, no specific vaccinations are required but ensure that your thyphoid, diphtheria, and tetanus are up to date. All traveling dialysis patients should have their hepatitis B vaccine and an Antibody titre >10mIU/ml. In any Asian country it is a good idea to have your Hepatitis A vaccine. Bali is malaria free, but if you are planning trips to any of the neighboring islands you will need malaria prophylaxis.
2. Ask your doctor for a letter listing all your medications that you will need to bring. Sometimes the officers at immigration will ask you about your medications and it is much easier if your doctor provides a prescription and letter indicating your explicit need for any medication.
3. Bring all your medications with you. You may not be able to buy the same medications in Bali as you can from your pharmacist at home. Pack enough medications (including all your dialysis medications) to last you for the duration of the holidays and add an extra supply of 2-4 days just in case of any delays.
4. You will also need a letter from your doctor stating that you are fit to fly and travel.