What This Service Includes
This service provides travel health clinical assessment and personalised guidance. It does not include in-person vaccine administration — vaccines requiring physical administration are given at a pharmacy or vaccination centre, with your doctor's guidance on what is recommended for your destination.
Yellow fever vaccination and the corresponding International Certificate of Vaccination require an in-person visit to an International Vaccination Centre authorised by the DGS (Directorate-General of Health). This service cannot issue this certificate. Your doctor advises on the nearest centre, when relevant.
What Your Consultation Includes
Destination and Itinerary Assessment. Your doctor reviews the destination, duration, itinerary, type of accommodation, and planned activities — including whether you'll be travelling to urban or rural areas, staying in hotels or camping, doing adventure activities, or visiting healthcare facilities.
Vaccination Planning. Based on the destination and your health profile, your doctor advises on:
- Which vaccines are recommended or required for your destination
- Which vaccines you already have adequate immunity for
- The appropriate vaccination schedule given your departure date
- Where to go in Portugal for vaccine administration — pharmacies, travel health centres, and international vaccination centres
Malaria and Infectious Disease Risk Assessment. For destinations with malaria risk, your doctor assesses the most suitable prophylaxis regimen, based on destination, itinerary, trip duration, and individual health profile — including any contraindications. Guidance is also provided on other destination-specific infectious risks, including dengue, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, among others.
Managing Chronic Conditions While Travelling. Travelling with a chronic condition requires planning. Your doctor advises on managing conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, or mental health conditions while travelling — including how much medication to bring, time zones, altitude considerations, and when to seek medical support abroad.
Travel Health Documentation. When clinically appropriate, your doctor can issue a travel health summary letter — useful for patients carrying medication, medical devices, or who need documentation of their health status for travel insurance or border control purposes.
Post-Travel Assessment. Returned from a higher-risk destination with symptoms? Your doctor can assess fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, skin conditions, or other symptoms in the context of your travel history — with referral for specialist tropical medicine assessment, when indicated.
Vaccines Commonly Discussed
Your doctor advises on vaccination requirements and recommendations based on your specific destination. Commonly discussed vaccines include:
- Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B
- Typhoid fever
- Rabies — for higher-risk destinations and specific activities
- Meningococcal meningitis
- Japanese encephalitis — for certain Asian destinations
- Cholera
- Tick-borne encephalitis — for forested areas of Central and Eastern Europe
- COVID-19 — entry requirements and current guidance for the destination
- Flu — particularly relevant for travel during the local flu season
- Yellow fever — your doctor advises on the need and refers you to an authorised international vaccination centre for administration and certification
Vaccination recommendations are destination-specific and change regularly. Your doctor uses current DGS guidance and international reference bodies to ensure advice is up to date and appropriate to your itinerary and departure date.
Destinations Commonly Assessed
We provide travel health assessment for any international destination, including:
Sub-Saharan Africa. High malaria risk areas, yellow fever requirements, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, rabies consideration for rural travel, and meningococcal vaccination for specific regions.
Southeast Asia. Malaria risk in rural areas, Japanese encephalitis for extended rural stays, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, rabies consideration, and attention to dengue risk.
South Asia — India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh. Typhoid fever, hepatitis A, region-specific malaria assessment, altitude sickness planning for Nepal and high-altitude destinations, rabies consideration.
Latin America and the Caribbean. Yellow fever requirements for certain countries, region-specific malaria, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, attention to dengue risk.
Middle East and North Africa. Meningococcal requirements for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, and destination-specific guidance.
Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Tick-borne encephalitis in forested areas, hepatitis A, and destination-specific guidance.
North America, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Reduced infectious risk — the consultation focuses on chronic condition management, travel insurance health documentation, and review of routine vaccination.
If your destination isn't listed, book a consultation and your doctor provides specific guidance based on current international travel health guidelines.
Who Should Book This Consultation
Before travel:
- Anyone travelling to a destination with infectious risk — including malaria zones, typhoid-endemic areas, or regions with yellow fever requirements
- Patients with chronic conditions — diabetes, asthma, hypertension, mental health conditions — who need advice on managing their health abroad
- Patients carrying medication or medical devices who need travel documentation
- Frequent business travellers with regular international trips who want an annual travel health review
- Students on study-abroad programmes or gap years
- Families travelling with children to higher-risk destinations
After travel:
- Travellers returning with fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, skin conditions, or other concerns after travel to a higher-risk destination
- Patients concerned about possible exposure to infectious diseases during travel
- Anyone who fell ill during travel and wants a clinical assessment on their return
A Note on Vaccine Administration
This consultation provides travel health clinical assessment and personalised vaccination planning — it does not include physical vaccine administration.
After your consultation, your doctor provides clear guidance on which vaccines are recommended for your destination and where to go for administration in Portugal. Most recommended travel vaccines are available at:
- Pharmacies in Portugal — many pharmacies offer travel vaccination services
- Private travel health centres
- International Vaccination Centres authorised by the DGS
Your doctor issues any supporting documentation needed to facilitate vaccine administration, when appropriate.
Yellow fever vaccination and the corresponding International Certificate of Vaccination require a visit to an authorised International Vaccination Centre — your doctor advises on the nearest centre.
Travelling with a Chronic Condition
Managing a chronic condition while travelling requires advance planning that most patients don't receive. Your travel health consultation specifically addresses:
- How much medication to bring — ensuring adequate supply, correct storage conditions, and customs documentation for controlled or specialist medication
- Managing time zones — adjusting medication timing across multiple time zones
- Altitude considerations — impact on cardiovascular, respiratory, and diabetic conditions
- Food and water safety in the context of your specific condition
- When to seek medical support abroad — and how to navigate the destination country's health system
- Travel insurance documentation — your doctor can provide a clinical summary letter to support travel insurance applications and any claims
Why Choose Our Care
Destination-specific, evidence-based guidance. Our doctors use current DGS guidance and international reference bodies to ensure accurate, up-to-date, destination-specific advice — not generic travel advice.
Same-day and advance appointments. Travel health planning should ideally begin four to six weeks before departure, for most destinations. We offer same-day appointments for last-minute travellers — your doctor advises on what's realistically achievable in the time available.
Integrated with your medical history. Unlike a standalone travel clinic, our doctors assess your travel health needs in the context of your complete clinical history — including chronic conditions, current medication, allergies, and previous vaccination.
Suited to frequent travellers. Business travellers and frequent international travellers benefit from an annual travel health review — assessing vaccination status, updating guidance for upcoming destinations, and reviewing chronic condition management in a travel context.
Post-travel assessment available. If you return from a trip with symptoms, our doctors can assess your situation in the context of your travel history — with referral for specialist tropical medicine assessment, when indicated.
