Seagrass Systems Under Nutrient Loads and Grazing

Before you get there don’t forget your health! If you are in need for medical care and there is no doctor, advise this (online) book: “Where there is no doctor“. Tip: download it before you go.

Which vaccinations do you need for Indonesia, and more particular, for East-Kalimantan? This was the advice given to me, march 2008:

YOU NEED
Hepatitis A: A nasty virus transmitted through the facal-oral route, recommended for all travellers.
Thyphoid (Buiktyfus): A bacterial infection by a Salmonella species using the same route.
Yellow fever: Required for all travelers arriving from a yellow-fever-infected area. Not recommended otherwise.
Difteria-Tetanus-Polio: Don’t forget to check if you have to get a new booster of this.

ADVISED:
Hepatitis B: Advised if you stay longer than 6 months. Because the virus is transmitted through the blood-body fluid route, the vaccination is advised to travellers with possible intimite contact with the locals.

LOOK OUT FOR
Rabies: Transmitted through animals like dogs, bats and other and causes brain inflammation.

Mosquito’s: Their are 2 kinds of mosquito’s causing trouble: Mosquito’s recognisable by their black-and-white legs, stinging at daytime. These are transmiting Dengue fever. There is no vaccination available yet.
The 2nd type of Mosquito (the females) are stinging after the sunset and could carry Malaria parasites. In Indonesia Malaria tropica is also present. Though, no Malaria is reported on Islands of the Derawan Archipelago and inside the city of Samarinda, the rest of the mainland of Kalimantan is infected. To protect yourself while being in this area you can take anti-malaria pills or you can deside to protect yourself properly and combine this by carring some emerency Malarone in case of infection. If you think your have Malaria you can fight this by taking 4 pills at once during a day for 3 days in a row, if you are in a remote area without a doctor.

If you opt for the full protection (though not 100% protected): You can use Malarone if you’re staying up to 4 weeks . Somewhat cheaper but possibly with more side effects is Lariam. Both pills prevent the parasites reproduction in the liver and red bloodcells.

I visited the airport medical services (click for actual prices) at Schiphol, a advantage of this company is that you can drop in 24/7 without an appointment. They can directly give you vaccinations and a recipe for anti-malaria tablets which are delivered in your mailbox. Here you can find the advise valid on march 2008. But things change, so always check the current situation