Travel clinics are medical facilities that specialize in providing preventive medical care such as vaccinations, malaria prophylaxis, altitude sickness medicine and traveler’s diarrhea medicine to international travelers.
Services offered at the clinic
The types of services offered at our travel clinic, include:
- Pre-travel consultations, counselling and vaccinations.
- Official vaccine certificate documentation (International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis) or letter of exemption (which is necessary for entry into certain countries especially for yellow fever).
- Prescribing medications for Malaria prophylaxis, Altitude sickness and Traveler’s diarrhea when indicated.
- Post-travel medical consultations, evaluation and care for sick returning travelers.
- Onsite diagnostic and laboratory services.
Who can attend travel clinic?
The travel clinic is open to all travelers and returning travelers including families and children. It covers the wider population of Qatar including nationals and expatriates.
Clinic timings and Contact Details
The clinic is by appointment only and currently operates according to the following schedule:
Every Monday - 12pm to 3pm
Every Wednesday and - Thursday
8am to 11am
Please call +974 4025 4003 from 7am to 7pm Sundays to Wednesdays and from 7am to 3pm on Thursdays to book an appointment.
How soon before my departure should I receive my necessary vaccines?
It is best to consult travel clinic 4 to 6 weeks before your departure. Keep in mind that a vaccine’s protective effect takes some time to develop following the vaccination (around 10-14 days).
Some vaccines also may require more than one dose, so more than one office visit may be needed. However, when urgent travel issues arise, it is still smart and useful to arrange a travel clinic visit even up to the day before departure in certain situations especially when malaria prophylaxis is needed.
Is there is any risk of administering multiple vaccines in the same visit?
If needed, all commonly used vaccines can be given on the same day. However, certain vaccines that typically cause local reactions should (if possible) be given on separate office visits. Fortunately, a number of combined vaccines are now available that provide protection against more than one disease. Combined vaccines are safe and effective as the single-disease vaccines and offer the convenience of fewer injections.
What vaccinations do I need to have before traveling abroad?
Once you decide to travel outside Qatar, it’s wise to make an appointment with travel clinic to discuss your general health and immunization needs. Whether or not you will need particular vaccines will depend on several factors, including:
- Your risk of exposure to diseases in the countries to be visited.
- Your age, current health status, and vaccination history.
- The presence of additional individual risk factors, such as being pregnant, having pre-existing cardiovascular disease, or having a condition that might weaken your immune system, such as cancer.
- Reactions to previous vaccine doses and your allergy history (including medication allergies).
- The risk of infecting others.
- Length of travel abroad.
Some vaccinations are simply recommended while others are required if traveling to specific countries. We recommend that all travelers to be up-to-date with the routine schedule of childhood vaccinations and booster shots.
Vaccinations available at the clinic
The list of vaccinations currently available at the clinic includes, but not limited to:
- Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
- Varicella vaccine.
- Herpes zoster vaccine.
- Diphtheria, Tetanus, acellular Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine.
- Injectable Polio vaccine.
- Hepatitis A vaccine.
- Hepatitis B vaccine.
- Combined Hepatitis A & B vaccine.
- Seasonal Influenza Vaccine.
- Meningococcal vaccine.
- Pneumococcal vaccine (both Conjugate and Polysaccharide vaccines).
- Typhoid vaccine (both Oral and Injectable forms)
- Rabies vaccine.
- Rabies immunoglobulin for post exposure prophylaxis.
- Hemophilus Influenza type B vaccine.
- Yellow Fever vaccine.
- Japanese Encephalitis vaccine.
- Oral Cholera vaccine.
- Tick-borne Encephalitis vaccine.
- Human Papilloma virus vaccine.
What should I bring on the day of my appointment?
All travelers attending the travel clinic should bring:
- A valid health card.
- If a health card is not available, then a valid form of photo identification which must be either a Passport or Residency Card.
- A record of any previous immunization if available.
- Any previous medical reports or current medications.
- Your travel itinerary and travel plans.
- Filled Pre-travel clinic visit form.
Download here.
What should I expect on the day of appointment?
- Upon arrival please present your health card or photo identification to the travel clinic reception.
- Receptionist will check you in our electronic system and direct you to cashier if payment for the visit is required.
- Then you will be directed to travel clinic.
- The travel clinic staff nurse will do initial assessment including measuring your weight, height, blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature.
- You will then be seated and a travel health specialist will see you and assess the risk according to your travel itinerary, medical history and previous immunization record, provide advice and counselling and prescribe vaccinations and prophylactic medications if required.
- If your travel health specialist has ordered any laboratory tests, you will be assisted by our staff to the onsite diagnostic laboratory where requested investigations will be collected.
- You will then be directed by our staff to the pharmacy where you will collect your medications.
- You will be redirected to the cashier if payment is required.
- If vaccines are prescribed, it will then be brought by our staff from pharmacy to treatment room where it will be administered.
- International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis will be completed for Yellow fever vaccine and issued if Yellow fever vaccine is administered, otherwise a vaccination card will be issued.
- Note that separate certificates will be issued to each member of the traveling party.
- Any post vaccination advice will be given, appointments booked for next visit if needed, and you will be able to leave the clinic.
How much I will pay for my appointment, medications and vaccines?
- The Travel Clinic at CDC is following HMC payment policies regarding appointment, medications and vaccines.
- Nationals and GCC citizens are exempted from payments.
- For expatriates payment s per HMC policies.
- All vaccines are administered free of charges regardless of traveler’s nationality excepts for few vaccines require payment including :
- Oral typhoid vaccine.
- Oral cholera vaccine.
- Japanese Encephalitis vaccine.
- Tick-borne Encephalitis vaccine.
What should I do if I am feeling sick on the day of vaccination?
Vaccinations are usually deferred if you are feeling sick or having fever on the day of vaccination. Please inform your doctor if you have been feeling sick or have had a fever recently.
What adverse reactions are expected from the vaccines?
Most vaccines are perfectly safe to administer. However, as with all medications, you might get some adverse reactions depending on the vaccines received. These include, but are not limited to:
- Pain and swelling at the site of vaccine injection.
- Feeling feverish for one or two days post vaccination.
- Generalized malaise or body aches and pains for a day or two post vaccination.
These side effects are usually mild and respond well to over the counter pain medications.
Serious allergic reactions to vaccinations are usually rare. Please inform your travel health specialist if you have any food or medication related allergies.
Please dial 999 or report to your nearest emergency room if you think that you or someone you know is experiencing a severe allergic reaction to vaccines or medications after being sent home from the clinic, which might include:
- Skin rashes or wheals on the body.
- Choking sensation in the throat.
- Shortness of breathing.
- Increased heart beat or palpitations.
- Swelling of the mouth and/or lips.
- Dizziness and/or fainting.
Some vaccines like MMR vaccine, Yellow fever vaccine, Varicella vaccine, Zoster and oral Typhoid vaccine are live attenuated vaccines and carry a very minimal risk of causing disease after administration especially in extremes of age.
Useful websites links that a traveler can check before travel.
Travel Clinic brochures
We hope to see you soon and wish you a pleasant trip.
