Travelling to another country for a medical treatment requires a number of documentations that include certificates, medical reports, permits and other nuances. Apart from the standard requirement for documentation like the visa application form, passport, doctor’s certificate, medical invitation letter and reports, there are certain other formalities that are required to be fulfilled. This document will help you out in proceeding with such official nuances so that you get a smooth medical travel to India.
Fit to Fly
A fit to fly certificate of the patient is demanded by all the airlines to certify that the patient’s health condition is stable enough to fly from one country to another within the stipulated span of hours without any deterioration in his / her condition mid-air. Only the applicants who have applied for a medical visa require a fit to fly certificate during their travel.
Some airlines demand it in the form of a letter from the doctor of the patient in which the current health condition of the patient is mentioned and a permission to fly back to his / her own country is sanctioned, whereas, some other airlines constitute of a stringent procedure in which the patient is provided with an official form known as the Medical Clearance Form that is to be filled by the doctor concerned and the patient himself.
A fit to fly certificate will be required for both boarding the flight from the patient’s home country as well as during departure from India after treatment. Patients and their medical attendants will not be allowed to board the flight if they cannot produce the certificate.
Therefore, it is a necessary document which you should remember to produce during your medical travel.
Airlines that we know provide their own Medical Clearance Form:
| Ethiopian Airways | Singapore Airlines |
| Emirates | Etihad Airways |
| Fiji Airways | Lufthansa |
| China Airlines | Swiss International Airlines |
| Qatar Airways | Austrian Airlines |
| Air New Zealand | Kenya Airways |
| Virginia Australia | Etihad Airways |
| Cathay Pacific | Air Arabia |
*Irrespective of the above list it is always advisable that you check with the airline you are opting to fly in during your travel.
Constituents of the Medical Clearance Form:
You and your doctor will have to fill up the following credentials in the form:
- Your name, gender, age, flight pnr no, requirement of wheelchair or stretcher, weight.
- The name, contact number, hospital clinic affiliation of the doctor concerned.
- Your diagnosis in details, date on which diagnosed, symptoms and date of surgery / operation.
- Results of the medical reports.
- Doctor should tick on fit to fly option in the form.
- Please specify whether the patient has any contagious or communicable disease.
- Specify if the medical condition of the patient is going to affect the fellow passengers.
- Additional clinical information regarding the patient: anemia, psychiatric and seizure disorder, cardiac condition, normal bladder and bowel control, respiratory condition.
- Whether the patient can sit upright without anyone’s assistance in the normal aircraft seat, walk without assistance.
- Whether the patient can understand and respond to the instructions of the cabin crew.
- Whether the patient can take care of his/her needs on board without anyone assistance
- Requirement of an escort
- Type of escort required: travel companion / nurse / doctor / nurse and doctor both
- Requirement of oxygen: period of usage, flow rate of oxygen, continuous or not, estimated amount of oxygen, need of any oxygen devices.
- Need of any medication: is the medication to be administered by the patient himself or by his escort?
- Does the patient require hospitalization during transfer of flights?
- Does the patient require hospitalization on arrival?
- In case of pregnancy: number of weeks and days, EDD, gestation
- Specify if any other arrangements are to be made
- Enter date, place and attending physician’s signature and passenger’s signature
Vaccination Certificates
It is said that when one travels he gathers a lot from the experience and leaves behind something as one start for home. But the world does not only constitute of all things wonderful but also dreadful, for instance, viral diseases like yellow fever and polio whose contagious factor has to be kept in check. Therefore, while you are preparing for your journey to India for a medical travel it is important that you remember to keep yellow fever vaccination certificates and oral polio vaccination certificates with you. Although, not every country member require such documentation, depending on the intensity of the disease in some countries the two certificates (yellow fever vaccination certificate and oral polio vaccination certificate) are a mandatory document to be produced during check in at the airport.
Countries that require Oral Polio Vaccination Certificate are: Afghanistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Kenya, Somalia and Syria.
It is to be noted that the Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificates should be sanctioned 10 days before travel. The list of countries that require Yellow Fever Vaccination certificates are provided below:
| Angola | Ghana |
| Argentina | Guinea |
| Benin | Guinea – Bissau |
| Bolivia | Guyana |
| Brazil | Kenya |
| Burkina Faso | Liberia |
| Burundi | Mali |
| Cameroon | Mauritania |
| Central African Republic | Niger |
| Chad | Nigeria |
| Colombia | Rwanda |
| Congo | Senegal |
| Cote D’Ivoire | Sierra Leone |
| Democratic Republic of Congo | Sudan |
| Equador | South Sudan |
| Equatorial Guinea | Togo |
| Ethiopia | Uganda |
| French Guiana | Panama |
| Gabon | Paraguay |
| Gambia | Peru |
| Suriname | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Venezuela |
|
Currencies Accepted in India
Another important factor that medical travellers need to keep in mind is the currency and the amount of money in that currency that they have to carry while they are coming to India for their treatment. The maximum limit for an individual to carry cash while coming to India is USD 5000 or its equivalent, exceeding which one has to declare it in the Currency Declaration Form at the Customs Authorities in the airport.
Here is a list of currencies that are accepted in India and for which a currency exchange is available:
List of Currency you can bring in India:
| US Dollar | New Zealand Dollar |
| Euro | South African Rand |
| Sterling Pound | Saudi Rial |
| Thai Baht | Qatar Rial |
| Singapore Dollar | Omani Rial |
| Canadian Dollar | Norwegian Kroner |
| UAE Dirham | Swedish Kroner |
| Malaysian Ringgit | Danish Kroner |
| Swiss Franc | Jordan Dinar |
| Australian Dollar | Bahrain Dinar |
| Hong Kong Dollar | Kuwait Dinar |
| Japanese Yen | Egyptian Pound |
| Chinese Yuan | Syrian Pound |
Other things to remember:
- During immigration, you may be asked to provide the address of the accommodation you will be staying in, in India. Therefore, it is advisable to note down the address of the hotel / guesthouse / service apartment you have booked in the country.
- If you are applying for e-visa, make sure that you carry a printed copy of the e-visa application form.
- Please carry all the medical reports and medical summary of the patient.
- Please share a picture of the patient and the medical attendants as they start their journey so that there is our operations manager can identify them easily when they arrive at the airport.
- Contact your case manager / operations manager / Vaidam’s leadership team if you face any trouble in locating the exit in the airport or seem to be lost.
Sources:
- Iata.org
- Civil Aviation Authority
- Civil Aviation Authority - FAQs
- Thomas Cook - Foreign Exchange
- Medical Protection.Org
- List of Countries that Require Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate
- List of Countries that Require Oral Polio Vaccination Certificate
- Medical Clearance Guidelines for Air Travel by Air Vistara
- Air New Zealand
- Qatas Group Medical Travel Clearance Guidelines
- Air North - Medical Clearance
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