Travel prepared, travel safe – with your Family Physician
As more Singapore residents travel for work, study, holidays, Umrah/Hajj and adventure, it is increasingly important to plan for health risks before leaving – and to know where to go if you feel unwell after you return.
At Kenneth Tan Medical Clinic, we provide travel health consultations within a family medicine clinic, not a standalone travel centre. This means we consider your destination and activities together with your existing medical conditions, medications, age and family needs, so that advice and prescriptions are safe and realistic.
We use reputable sources such as national guidelines and international references (e.g. CDC/WHO travel advisories) to guide our recommendations, and we tailor them to your actual itinerary rather than relying on generic lists.
What your travel health consultation covers
During a travel consult, we typically discuss:
Your itinerary and risk profile
Countries and regions you are visiting, urban vs rural travel, time of year, duration of stay, type of accommodation and activities (e.g. trekking, diving, volunteering, visiting family).Your medical background
Current and past illnesses (e.g. diabetes, heart disease, asthma, kidney disease, immune conditions), medications, allergies, pregnancy status and age – including considerations for children and older adults.Destination-specific risks and precautions
Food and water safety, mosquito-borne diseases (e.g. dengue, malaria), animal bites, climate and environmental risks.
Based on this, we recommend appropriate vaccinations, medications and preventive measures.
Vaccinations we commonly provide
We routinely review your existing vaccination history and may recommend:
- Hepatitis A and/or B
- Typhoid, not routinely stocked
- Tetanus-containing boosters (e.g. tetanus–diphtheria–pertussis where appropriate)
- Influenza (flu) vaccine
- COVID-19 vaccine
For some destinations and activities, other vaccines (for example Japanese Encephalitis or rabies pre-exposure vaccination) may be advisable. Where these are not stocked in clinic, we will explain the indication and advise where they can be obtained.
Meningococcal vaccination for Umrah / Hajj
For travellers attending Umrah or Hajj, a valid meningococcal vaccination is usually required as part of visa and public health regulations.
- We provide pre-travel assessment and can arrange meningococcal vaccination for Umrah/Hajj.
- As this vaccine is seasonal and not routinely stocked, we usually ask for a small deposit to order it in advance of your appointment.
- We will advise you on timing, documentation and any other relevant vaccinations or precautions for your trip.
Please inform our staff at the time of booking that your visit is for Umrah/Hajj travel vaccination, so that we can plan accordingly.
Medications and preventive strategies
Depending on your destination and risk profile, we may:
- Prescribe antimalarials where indicated.
- Provide standby treatment for traveller’s diarrhoea where appropriate.
- Discuss and prescribe acetazolamide for altitude sickness prevention and treatment for suitable travellers heading to high-altitude destinations, taking into account your kidney function, other medications and medical conditions.
- Advise on a personal travel medical kit, including pain relief, simple cold/flu medications, oral rehydration salts and other useful items.
We also discuss non-medication strategies: food and water hygiene, insect bite prevention, sun protection, safe sex, injury prevention and managing jet lag.
We are not a yellow fever vaccination centre
For certain countries, yellow fever vaccination and an official certificate may be required. We can:
- Advise whether yellow fever vaccination is needed for your itinerary or for transit country requirements.
- Refer you to an authorised yellow fever vaccination centre if you require the vaccine and certificate.
We can then help interpret the advice you receive there in the context of your overall health and other conditions managed at our clinic.
Post-travel assessment – when you return unwell
If you develop symptoms such as fever, diarrhoea, rash, persistent cough, unusual fatigue or other concerns after a trip, you can also return to us for post-travel assessment. Because we already know your chronic conditions and medications, we can:
- Take a targeted travel history (locations, exposures, timing).
- Perform appropriate initial investigations and management.
- Arrange referral to hospital or infectious disease services if there are red flags or more serious conditions to consider.
Having pre- and post-travel care in the same clinic helps ensure important details are not lost.
Who benefits most from a travel consultation?
Travel health advice is particularly important if you:
- Have chronic conditions (e.g. diabetes, heart disease, asthma, kidney disease, immune disorders).
- Are pregnant, planning pregnancy or travelling with young children.
- Are an older adult or caring for an older travelling companion.
- Are planning adventure travel, trekking, diving or remote-area trips.
- Are going for longer stays (study, work posting, volunteer work, visiting family for extended periods).
- Are attending Umrah, Hajj or other mass gatherings.
Even healthy young travellers benefit from a short review to check vaccinations, discuss basic precautions and prepare a sensible travel kit.
When to see us
Ideally, try to schedule your travel consult 4–6 weeks before departure. This allows time for:
- Vaccines to take effect (and for multi-dose courses to be started where appropriate).
- Adjustments to medications or plans if needed.
If your trip is sooner, it is still worth coming – we can prioritise the most important measures based on the time available.
Book a travel health consultation
If you are planning a trip and would like personalised, medically sound advice rather than generic online lists, we are happy to help.
You can book an appointment online or call us to speak with our staff.
Please bring your itinerary, any past vaccination records (if available), and a list of your current medications, so that we can give you the most accurate recommendations.
If you are travelling for Umrah/Hajj, do let our staff know when booking so we can arrange meningococcal vaccination appropriately.