Medical Information

Medical Information for Families Arriving in Indonesia

1. Obtain complete medical records

Everyone in your family should arrive with complete medical records. It is always good practice to keep your records and immunizations complete and up to date. Bring a list of your doctor's names, addresses and phone numbers for possible ongoing care, long distance consultations and to make appointments for home leave.

2. Medical and health concerns

It is a recommendation for you to have a complete medical check up before departure and bring the records. Bring copies of your children's immunizations and recent TB skin test for school admission. Check your private health insurance and company medical plan for coverage while living abroad, including the coverage available if you should need to be medically evacuated. If anyone in your family requires special medication, bring an extra supply to last until your next home leave in the event the medication is not available in Indonesia. Keep a letter from your doctor handy just in case you are stopped and questioned by the airport officials. Bring a basic first aid kit and a limited selection of over the counter health aids, such as headache medicines, cold remedies and cough medicine, until you become familiar with what is available in Indonesia.

3. Complete Immunizations records

Be sure that each child's immunization record is up to date with Polio, Hepatitis B, D.P.T & MMR before school admission.  School will also need proof of BCG vaccination, one time only before 3 months old. If record is not available, mantoux tuberkulin test is required on admission.

Beside the mandatory record for your child above, below are travel advisory vaccinations for families arriving in Indonesia : 

1. Hepatitis B - Hepatitis B vaccine is available in a series of three shots and is recommended for persons living in Indonesia.
2. Typhoid - This vaccine is recommended for those living or visiting in Indonesia.
3. Hepatitis A - This vaccine is recommended for persons living in Indonesia
4. Polio - Travellers who intend to visit Indonesia for four weeks or more should be aware that proof of vaccination [an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP)] against poliomyelitis, given four weeks to 12 months before departure may be required on exit. Failure to produce this documentation may result in vaccination at the point of departure, most likely with oral polio vaccine.
5. Tetanus - Travellers should have completed a primary vaccination course according to the their country schedule. If travelling to a country where medical facilities may be limited, a booster dose of a tetanus-containing vaccine is recommended if the last dose was more than 10 years ago.
6. Influenza - Yearly flu vaccination is recommended to prevent flu virus.
7. Diphtheria vaccination - The vaccine is usually combined with Tetanus and Polio vaccination in the UK. Further booster doses are usually only recommended if you're going to visit parts of the world where diphtheria is widespread and your last vaccination dose was more than 10 years ago.
8. Malaria - Malaria risk exists throughout the year in the whole country except in Jakarta municipality, big cities and within the areas of the tourist resorts of Bali and Java. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended prior a visit to Indonesian Eastern Area (provinces of Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, and Papua Barat), including the town of Labuan Bajo and Komodo Islands in the Nusa Tengarra region. Rural areas of Kalimantan (Borneo), Nusa Tenggara Barat (includes the island of Lombok), Sulawesi, and Sumatra.
9. Rabies - Rabies can be found in dogs, bats, and other mammals in Indonesia, so it is recommended to have this vaccine for the following groups:

• Travelers involved in outdoor and other activities (such as camping, hiking, biking, adventure travel, and caving) that put them at risk for animal bites.
• People who are taking long trips or moving to Indonesia
• Children, because they tend to play with animals, might not report bites, and are more likely to have animal bites on their head and neck.

4. Health of Domestic Staff

Most expat families employ one or more people to help with food preparations, laundry, cleaning, gardening, childcare and security. Some of these people may live in your house, while others may go home every day. It is important that you know that your staff is in good health. Most clinics and hospitals offer a medical screening, which consists of chest x-ray for TB and blood tests for Hepatitis B and stool examinations. The cost of the doctor's visit and medical check-up are your responsibility. If you have already hired this person and he/she requires treatment, you may be expected to pay.

5. Routine Medical care - Choosing a Medical Care Facility

For a list of Medical Facilities in Indonesia, visit the website www.expat.or.id

6. Dental care

Routine dental care is available in major cities in Indonesia (See AWA, Jakarta Shopper's Guide for recommended clinics).