Travel Vaccinations for Volunteering Abroad | ABV

Staying healthy is the first step to a great volunteer experience. Most health problems abroad can be prevented with a little planning, and the most important part of that plan is a visit to a travel doctor well before you leave.

This guide is general information, not medical advice. Your doctor or travel clinic will tell you which vaccines and medicines are right for you, your destination and your project.

When to start

Book an appointment with your doctor or a travel clinic at least 4 to 8 weeks before departure. Some vaccines need more than one dose or take time to become effective, and some clinics are booked weeks ahead. If you are leaving sooner, go anyway: some protection is better than none.

Bring your vaccination history, your destination, the dates of your trip and the type of project you will join. Working in a hospital, with children or with animals can change what your doctor recommends.

Vaccines to discuss with your doctor

• Routine vaccines. Make sure you are up to date on measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, polio, chickenpox, flu and COVID-19.
• Common travel vaccines. Hepatitis A and typhoid are often recommended for Latin America, Africa and Asia because they spread through food and water.
• Hepatitis B. Especially important for medical, nursing and dental volunteers, and for anyone who may need medical care abroad.
• Yellow fever. Recommended in parts of South America and Africa, and some countries ask for proof of vaccination at the border. Carry your yellow fever vaccination card with your passport.
• Rabies. Worth considering for conservation and animal projects, rural areas and long stays.
• Others such as Japanese encephalitis or cholera, depending on the region and season.

Check the official recommendations for your country on the CDC Travelers' Health website.

Malaria and mosquitoes

Some destinations have malaria, dengue or zika. Ask your doctor whether you need antimalarial medicine, and protect yourself from bites: insect repellent, long sleeves in the evening and a mosquito net where your host provides one.

Your travel health kit

• Any prescription medicines you take, in their original packaging, enough for the whole trip.
• Pain relief, oral rehydration salts, anti-diarrhea medicine and antihistamines.
• Sunscreen, insect repellent, hand sanitizer and a basic first-aid kit.
• A copy of your prescriptions, vaccination card and travel insurance details.

How ABV helps

After you pay your deposit, your ABV account includes a pre-departure guide with health, safety and vaccination information for your country. Upload your travel insurance before you leave, and tell us about any medical conditions or allergies in your application so your coordinator and host family can be prepared. If you get sick while abroad, your local coordinator will help you get medical attention. Read more about safety.