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There are several places you can get vaccines and medicine before you travel.

Call your doctor or local health department to see if they can provide pre-travel advice, vaccines, and medicines.

List of health departments

If you want to see a travel medicine specialist, the International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) can help you find a clinic.

Directory of travel clinics

If you need yellow fever vaccine you must get vaccinated at an authorized yellow fever vaccine clinic. Many of these clinics also give other shots and medicines.

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Find where you can get a COVID-19 vaccine in your area.

Need to get tested? Find a COVID-19 testing clinic .

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CDC provides these links as a convenience to international travelers. CDC does not endorse, recommend, or favor any clinics on these lists, nor does the appearance of a clinic on these lists imply a guarantee of service quality.

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Travel Medicine

Our physicians will prepare you for travel and protect you from diseases through proper food handling, insect protection and immunizations.

Before you travel to another country, take precautions to stay healthy by learning the potential health risks you will encounter. Prepare yourself by learning how to prevent diseases through proper food handling, insect protection and immunizations with the help of physicians at IU Health.

Your immune system has developed to keep you safe in your normal environment. You probably remain immune to most colds, flus or other illnesses common in your area. However, the viruses and bacteria that cause these diseases differ around the world, leaving you susceptible to possible illnesses.

Depending on where you travel, you may also become exposed to dozens of illnesses not found in your native country, such as malaria, Chagas disease or African sleeping sickness. Vaccinations and immunizations have eradicated some diseases, such as polio, in parts of the world, but these diseases remain present in some countries. In addition, the conditions of different countries allow disease to spread more easily. Poor food handling or lack of water filtration could allow contamination. A high population of insects, such as mosquitoes, also allows disease to spread quickly from person to person.

What to Expect

You should make an appointment with an infectious diseases physician at IU Health at least eight weeks before you travel abroad in order to ensure you have time to get any immunizations you may need.

IU Health specialists prepare world travelers for their journeys by providing vaccinations and education on staying well. Through focused education and extensive training, your physicians have expertise in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases around the globe. Your physicians stay up-to-date with the latest vaccine and travel health recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) so you receive all the vaccinations you need. From sanitizing water, to cooking safely, to preventing insect bites, your physicians will work with you to protect your health so you can travel safely.

IU Health Infectious Diseases physicians offer a range of services to prepare travelers:

• Infectious diseases appointments. You should schedule an appointment with an infectious diseases physician eight weeks before you travel and bring your medical history, immunization records and trip itinerary with you. Your itinerary allows your physicians to make specific, personalized recommendations based on the countries you plan to visit.
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
• Japanese encephalitis
• Meningococcal (meningitis)
• Typhoid (oral and injectable)
• Varicella (chicken pox and shingles)
• Yellow fever
• Education. Your physicians share their expertise and teach you how to prevent infections caused by a variety of sources. They provide specialized education depending on when and where you travel.

During and After Travel

During your visit, you can receive the suggested immunizations, prescriptions for medications to help prevent malaria and diarrhea, and documentation of all immunizations you receive. Your physicians continue to support you as you travel and are available by secure email to offer advice.

When you return from your travels, your physicians offer post-travel consultations. Their specialized training allows them to diagnose and treat uncommon diseases you might contract while travelling. Some of these conditions may rarely occur in the United States.

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World health organization (who), united states department of state, centers for disease control and prevention.

Passport Health Travel Clinics and Wellness Solutions

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Center for Travel Medicine Established Through a Generous Gift from Roe Green

The Traveler’s Clinic, the first of its kind in the country, was established in 1975 at University Hospitals in collaboration with the Division of Geographic Medicine at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. For the past 45 years, the travel clinic has provided travelers with comprehensive preventive care and educational services, international travel immunizations and prophylactic medications as well as diagnosis, treatment and counseling for those who return with parasites, malaria or other conditions seldom seen in the United States. Our specialists also evaluate and manage health problems for foreign visitors and immigrants.

As the number of international travelers has increased over the years, so has the need for these highly specialized services.

The UH travel clinic is now named the University Hospitals Roe Green Center for Travel Medicine & Global Health in recognition of philanthropist Roe Green whose enthusiasm for exploring the world inspired her to give a generous gift in 2014 to expand and endow University Hospitals’ travel medicine program. As a direct result, our program has endured and grown and today remains at the forefront of travel medicine.

Adult travel medicine services are offered at three convenient locations .

Travel medicine services for children and adolescents are provided at:

UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital 2101 Adelbert Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44106

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Why you should always visit a travel health clinic before heading abroad

Travelers across the country are stocking up on sanitary wipes and face masks amid concerns surrounding the new coronavirus from China . But there's an often untapped resource that can help you stay healthy while on the road, especially if your journey takes you to an international destination.

Many university hospitals and other healthcare providers operate what are commonly known as travel clinics. These niche facilities are equipped with specialists who can advise you on everything from vaccinations to risks facing travelers in specific countries.

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"You're going to have a much more detailed level of knowledge that can be tailored to your itinerary and your underlying health issues," said Dr. David Hamer, a professor of infectious diseases at Boston University School of Medicine. As a result, he said, "you're more likely to have fewer complications during your trip, potentially."

Hamer said the information provided at a travel clinic is often more in-depth compared to what you'd receive from a traditional internal medicine visit or data gathered from an online source.

Most of these clinics are open to the public, including Boston University's clinic , which is open to anyone. Special arrangements can be made for large groups such as volunteers and missionaries.

Visit TPG's guide to all coronavirus news and updates

While there's a strong focus on immunizations to combat potentially infectious diseases, patients at travel clinics are given advice to help them during every step of their journey, including how best to prevent diarrhea, mosquito bites and blood clots on long distance flights, said Dr. Andrés Henao, travel clinic director at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus .

Patients are typically asked to provide any immunization records, as well as an itinerary of their trip, including the length. They may be asked about where they'll stay and sleep, as well as any planned activities, to help providers make an assessment of particular risks, Dr. Henao said.

"Then, we decide what immunizations might be given depending on the trip and its characteristics, such as immunizations for food-borne illnesses such as typhoid or Hepatitis A; or vector-borne or mosquito-borne illnesses , such as dengue fever, chikungunya or yellow fever and counseling in regards to repellants or how you cover your skin with outdoor activities," said Dr. Henao.

Such visits should be scheduled well before the start of your trip.

"It's good to allow more than two weeks before visiting the travel medicine specialist — vaccines take 10 to 14 days to take effect or require two doses a week or more apart," said Dr. Hamer.

In addition to medical information, patients are often given specific advice when it comes to food and water consumption . Patients are also briefed on other risks such as traffic safety and accident prevention.

While the focus is on preventive care, providers may know of physicians abroad, in case you need medical assistance abroad. Doctors also recommend checking with the U.S. embassy at your international destination for a list of medical options. Clinicians can also provide information for pre-travel health insurance . Some providers may offer screening of COVID-19 and other viral infections, however tests are in short supply.

In some cases, follow-up visits are scheduled for when a patient returns from their trip.

While many clinic visits are covered by insurance, coverage can vary by state and provider. The cost can fluctuate depending on the extent of treatment and vaccines administered, but the total could add up to several hundred dollars, if not more.

In addition to the clinics in Boston and Denver, travelers will find clinics in most metropolitan areas, including Weill Cornell in New York City; the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (near Detroit); Nashville's Vanderbilt Health travel clinic; UCLA Health in Los Angeles; and the University of Miami Health clinic.

To find a travel clinic in your area, contact your primary care physician for a recommendation; the infectious disease department at your local hospital; or your area university. You might also have some luck with a simple Google search.

Check ahead to determine if you're eligible for treatment.

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World Travel Care, LLC, has been helping to protect world travelers since 2005.  Our goal is to promote safe and healthy travel for all of our patients. We provide the most up-to-date international health advice and all available recommended travel vaccines. The office is located adjacent to, and works in concert with, Georgia Infectious Diseases, PC, our full-service infectious diseases specialty clinic, where we stand ready to help should you require our care when you return.

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Mitchell a. blass, md.

Medical School Emory University School of Medicine 1988-1992

Internship and Residency Emory University School of Medicine 1992-1995

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Infectious Diseases Fellowship Emory University School of Medicine 1996-1999

Staff Physician Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital Atlanta, GA 1999 to present Northside Hospital Atlanta, GA 1999 to present

Margaret Williamson, MD

Medical School Emory University School of Medicine 1988-1993

Internship Parkland Hospital Dallas, TX 1993-1994

Residency Emory University School of Medicine 1994-1996

Chief Resident of Internal Medicine Emory University Hospital of Emory University 1996-1997

Infectious Diseases Fellowship Emory University School of Medicine 1997-2000

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Ronald P. Trible Jr., MD, PhD

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Home > Naturopathic News > Take Your Love of Naturopathic Medicine Around the World

Take Your Love of Naturopathic Medicine Around the World

We live in an age of global cooperation, with humanitarian efforts that are not only growing in popularity but also growing in need. The disparity between developing nations and their neighbors increases each day, complicated by warfare, disease, natural disasters, and poverty. Just as the medical field is expanding and taking on a more international flavor, so too is the naturopathic medical field. Programs such as the Peace Corps and Doctors Without Borders have helped to bring medical treatment to impoverished, low-resource communities across the globe.

Travel the Globe Bringing Naturopathic Medicine to Those in Need

Many don’t realize that there are a number of philanthropic organizations providing naturopathic treatments to these same communities. Naturopaths Without Borders (NWB) has been delivering naturopathic medicine to those who previously had little to no access to healthcare. Additionally, the World Naturopathic Federation (WNF) supports the growth and dissemination of information on international naturopathic medicine, while also working closely with such agencies as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations, and UNESCO to help promote the profession around the world.  These organizations, among others, are helping to bring global service and cooperation into the spectrum of naturopathic medicine. Natural Doctors International (NDI) , and Homeopaths Without Borders promote and provide career opportunities for naturopathic physicians while respecting the cultural communities within which they operate.

We interviewed a few naturopathic doctors to learn more about how they became involved in global health.

Why Practice Globally?

In the past few years, we have seen change in the popular mindset of looking at ourselves locally, shifting to a more global perspective. Many people have stopped asking what impact they can have in their respective backyards and instead have started to look at who truly needs help. They are challenging themselves to make a more profound and lasting impact on the world at large. This is especially true of Dr. Wendy Coram Vialet, who practices in the U.S. Virgin Island of St. Thomas.  When she graduated from her naturopathic program at Bastyr University , Dr. Coram Vialet returned to her native home to help introduce naturopathic medicine to a community that needed it and was vastly underrepresented in terms of access to such services.

In recognition of her efforts, she received the Territorial Endowment Award, a program that helps promote individuals who can make a difference in their own communities by encouraging them to return home to practice.  She was inspired, in large part, by Virgin Islands Judge Emeritus Verne A. Hodge, who urges those who become successful overseas to return to their home to give back to the community that gave them their first start.

Director ,  Center for the Study of Spirituality and Professionalism at University of the Virgin Islands

"I encourage students to pursue their dreams. Be open to embracing new ideas and developing creative ways of practicing. Impart the knowledge you have learned and leave the community better and healthier than you found it. Let that be your legacy.”

Another naturopathic success story, Dr. Ysu Umbalo was driven by the need to “[understand] the patient and [meet] them where they are.”  Many of those in developing nations do not have the ability to access any form of medical treatment, but especially not naturopathic medicine.  So by getting out in these communities, doctors and other professionals see this as a chance to give back while at the same time practicing their skills in the field that they love.

Benefits of a Global Practice

There are so many benefits to beginning a global practice that it is almost difficult to know where to start.  First and foremost, is the flexibility that is afforded a naturopathic doctor practicing abroad.  Many are able to set their own schedules and office hours.  In addition, some cultures are more accepting of naturopathic medicine by not having the stereotypes that come with Western healthcare.

Founder and Executive Director ,  Soma Care and Mercy - Socame Foundation Ltd

“I embrace the principles of nature and move with them. I have been running my clinic on those principles, and it’s fulfilling to me.”

Naturopathic doctors have a vast toolkit of therapies and are able to adapt their practice to work specifically with what they have available to them and with respect to the unique needs of their patients.  Since many developing countries have long histories of traditional medicine, naturopathic treatments often fit right in. For instance, Dr. Vialet has been able to blend local herbs found in the Virgin Islands with Western herbal medicines that result in not only healing properties but also a “sense of familiarity in the prescribing process.”  By recommending something patients are already culturally comfortable with, they are able to break down international boundaries and make connections with the community.

Making a Global Impact

Vice President and President-Elect ,  Natural Doctors International

“My work in global health has reinforced my understanding of cultural competence and how important culture is in the delivery of healthcare, as well as the relationship between the patient and healthcare provider.”

Naturopathic Institutions like NDI, WNF, and NWB are working hard to encourage the advancement of naturopathic medicine as well as raising the awareness of its existence through education, regulation of the practice, and setting standards for accreditation. Through the combined efforts of these organizations, and in collaboration with native populations, practitioners are able to expand their familiarity with and proficiency in naturopathic healthcare bettering communities globally.

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Russia's Nuclear Deterrent Command Center Imperiled by Winter Freeze—Report

A Russian nuclear deterrent command center in Moscow has been imperiled by power outages that have impacted more than one-quarter of the region's cities amid freezing temperatures, a Russian Telegram channel has reported.

The VChK-OGPU outlet, which purports to have inside information from Russian security forces, reported that the 820th Main Center for Missile Attack Warnings—part of the Russian Space Forces, a branch of the country's Aerospace Forces—near Solnechnogorsk in Moscow is without power.

It serves as the space forces early warning network against potential ballistic missile attacks.

The development comes as Russians are reported to be suffering from power outages in their homes in the Moscow region caused by technical issues at plants amid subzero temperatures.

On January 4, a heating main burst at the Klimovsk Specialized Ammunition Plant in the town of Podolsk, which is about 30 miles south of central Moscow. Since then, tens of thousands of Russians are reported to have no heating in their homes.

Affected areas include the cities of Khimki, Balashikha, Lobnya, Lyubertsy, Podolsk, Chekhov and Naro-Fominsk, a map published by a Russian Telegram channel and shared on other social media sites shows.

Other Russian media outlets reported that in Moscow, residents of Balashikha, Elektrostal, Solnechnogorsk, Dmitrov, Domodedovo, Troitsk, Taldom, Orekhovo-Zuyevo, Krasnogorsk, Pushkino, Ramenskoye, Voskresensk, Losino-Petrovsky and Selyatino are also without power.

The Telegram channel said that at the 820th Main Center for Missile Attack Warnings, "the crew...is on duty around the clock."

"It is here that the decision on a retaliatory nuclear strike is executed," the channel said.

Newsweek could not independently verify the report and has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry by email for comment.

Power outages have also been reported in Russia's second-largest city, St. Petersburg, in the country's western Voronezh region, in the southwest city of Volgograd, and in Rostov, which borders Ukraine, a country that Russia has been at war with since February 24, 2022.

On Sunday, two shopping malls in St. Petersburg were forced to close because of problems with light and heating, reported local news outlet 78.ru. Hundreds of other homes in the city have had no electricity, water or heating for days amid temperatures of -25 C (-13 F).

Russian authorities have also been forced to compensate passengers of a train that ran from Samara to St. Petersburg (a 20-hour journey) without heating during -30 C (-22 F) temperatures. Videos circulating on social media showed carriage windows frozen over. A passenger also said the toilet didn't work during the trip because of frozen pipes.

Do you have a tip on a world news story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the Russia-Ukraine war? Let us know via [email protected].

Related Articles

• Russia Maps Show 25% of Moscow Without Power Amid Winter Freeze 'Emergency'
• Serbian Mercenary Turns on Russian Leaders: 'They Treat Us Like Cattle'
• Winter Freeze Threats Come Back To Bite Russia As Power Outages Spread

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Why are many Russians freezing in their homes this winter?

Russia boasts a massive energy infrastructure, but a recent wave of heating system breakdowns in Moscow and beyond has left many residents scrambling to keep harsh winter temperatures outside.

Thousands of Russians have been affected by heating systems failing across the country, including Moscow and its outskirts, the Moscow Oblast, as they face one of the harshest winters in decades .

The wave of breakdowns started in December and shows no sign of stopping. This week, at least 16 people suffered burns in the city of Nizhny Novgorod when a large-bore heating pipe exploded, spouting boiling water into the street. The pipe failure also left more than 3,000 people without heat, according to a local news channel on Telegram. The messaging service is one of the few remaining platforms Russians use to obtain uncensored information.

Just a day before the Nizhny Novgorod incident, a heating node failed in the city of Oryol, cutting off heat to homes, kindergartens, and a school, where boiling water burst out of steam heaters during lessons.

Residents in Moscow Oblast left without heat for days

The most severe breakdown occurred in Klimovsk, a district of the city of Podolsk in Moscow Oblast, just 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the capital. On January 4, the temperature dropped to -34 Celsius (-29.2 Fahrenheit) —  the coldest spell for the area in at least 40 years. On the same day, a Klimovsk heating plant failed. Some 20,000 people were left without heat in the district of 50,000 people. Thousands of them remained cut off from the heating grid for several days. Other cities and towns in the region also experienced multi-day heating failures during the extremely cold weather, with residents of the city of Elektrostal lighting bonfires in front of their apartment buildings as a sign of protest.

"The children were sleeping in warm clothing, me and my husband were also sleeping wearing pants, sweaters, shirts, under two duvets," a local woman told Russian news outlet The Insider, adding that the temperature in her apartment did not go above 10 degrees Celsius until she started using electric space heaters.

Ammunition factory provides town with heat

Officials were slow to respond. It took Moscow Oblast Governor Andrey Vorobyov three days to put out an official statement on the Klimovsk breakdown, blaming the owners of the "privately-owned boiler room" for allowing the breakdown to happen. Vorobyov said authorities have launched an investigation.

"We understand that everyone's patience has a limit," he said during a meeting with the citizens.

The governor also accused the plant's owners of being unreachable during the current crisis, pointing out that two of them lived abroad. The issue apparently drew the attention of Russian President Vladimir Putin — he ordered Vorobyov to nationalize the heating facility. 

The delayed response could be due to the heating facility's sensitive location — it is operating within an active ammunition factory. Such arrangements between military industry and civilian infrastructure were relatively common in the Soviet era.

Links reported between Klimovsk plant and Kremlin

The ammunition plant was privatized in 2001, and the current ownership structure has not been made public. However, unconfirmed reports in the Russian media indicate that the plant's managers had first-rate connections at the very top of the Kremlin . The director of the plant, Igor Kushnikov, is a former colonel of the Russian FSB intelligence agency, according to media reports. In May 2023, he took over the plant management from Igor Rudyka — reportedly one of Putin's former bodyguards.

Last week, Russian federal investigators said they detained Kushnikov and the manager of the boiler room, Alexander Chikov.

Crumbling Soviet-era infrastructure

One of the shareholders of the Klimovsk ammunition plant, Marina Saharova, who is based in Germany, said the reason for the failure was not due to the heating facility itself but to the dilapidated conditions of the heating grid — she insisted that the boiler room needed to be shut down because of failures outside the factory.

Experts warned that the heating network in Russia is poorly maintained and outdated — especially in the areas that have massively increased their population density since the Soviet times. Even now, some parts of the country still use decades-old steel pipes, well past their projected 25-year lifetime, according to Russia's The Bell outlet . Official figures cited by The Bell indicate that some 3% of the heating, water and sanitation network is labeled as being in a state of "emergency" every year. Still, only 1%-2% are being modernized, leading to thousands of breakdowns.

Security poses an additional challenge in facilities such as the one in Klimovsk. Due to restrictions on access to the ammunition factory, civilian officials were unable to prepare the boiler room for winter or monitor issues in real-time, according to the outlet.

Russia, an energy superpower?

While some heating-related incidents happen every winter in Russia, this season has seen successive heating failures in multiple cities, from Novosibirsk in Siberia to Moscow and St. Petersburg to the western exclave of Kaliningrad. 

The issue also carries an emotional weight in the country that traditionally sees itself as an energy superpower. Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine , state propagandists issued dire warnings over EU sanctions on gas imports, claiming Europe would "freeze" without access to Russian gas for its heat.

Ukrainian soldiers face second winter on front lines

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Nearly two years into the war, however, heating in Europe appears stable while Russian officials scramble to respond to the heating crisis. This contrast is pointed out with glee by Putin critics and Russian-speaking users from war-torn Ukraine.

"They decided to freeze out Europe, but that didn't work. Then they decided to freeze their own to intimidate others," a YouTube user commented under a video reporting on the breakdowns.

Moscow moving to modernize heating grid

Russian authorities also appear aware of the problem. Recently, the Kremlin has started taking a more direct role in managing the heating grid, and federal authorities signaled they would be freeing up more funds.

"We are still using the communal infrastructure that was made during the Soviet era," said Svetlana Razvorotneva, a Russian lawmaker and member of the committee in charge of urban engineering. "We did not invest in modernization. Instead, we invested in maintaining all that outdated infrastructure."

She added that some 40% of the communal heating grid urgently needed to be replaced. The Russian state, according to the lawmaker, intends to invest 150 billion rubles (€1.55 billion, $1.68 billion) in the next two years to modernize the system. 

Edited by: Sean Sinico

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Zelenskiy calls for operational changes to Ukraine military after sacking commander

President demands ‘new level of medical support for soldiers’ as questions mount over speed of counteroffensive against Russia

Volodymyr Zelenskiy has demanded rapid changes in the operations of Ukraine’s military and announced the dismissal of the commander of its medical forces.

The Ukrainian president’s move was announced on Sunday as he met defence minister, Rustem Umerov, and coincided with debate over the conduct of the 20-month-old war against Russia , with questions over how quickly a counteroffensive in the east and south is proceeding.

“In today’s meeting with defence minister Umerov, priorities were set,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. “There is little time left to wait for results. Quick action is needed for forthcoming changes.”

Zelenskiy said he had replaced Maj Gen Tetiana Ostashchenko as commander of the medical forces.

“The task is clear, as has been repeatedly stressed in society, particularly among combat medics, we need a fundamentally new level of medical support for our soldiers,” he said.

This, he said, included a range of issues – better tourniquets, digitalisation and better communication.

Umerov acknowledged the change on the Telegram messaging app and set as top priorities digitalisation, “tactical medicine” and rotation of service personnel.

Ukraine’s military reports on what it describes as advances in recapturing occupied areas in the east and south and last week acknowledged that troops had taken control of areas on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in southern Kherson region.

Ukrainian commander in chief, Gen Valery Zaluzhny, in an essay published this month, said the war was entering a new stage of attrition and Ukraine needed more sophisticated technology to counter the Russian military.

While repeatedly saying advances will take time, Zelenskiy has denied the war is headed into a stalemate and has called on Kyiv’s western partners, mainly the United States, to maintain levels of military support.

Ostashchenko was replaced by Maj Gen Anatoliy Kazmirchuk, head of a military clinic in Kyiv.

Her dismissal came a week after a Ukrainian news outlet suggested her removal, as well as that of others, was imminent after consultations with paramedics and other officials responsible for providing support to the military.

Meanwhile on Sunday, air defence units in Moscow intercepted a drone targeting the city, mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.

Sobyanin, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said units in the Elektrostal district in the capital’s east had intercepted the drone.

According to preliminary information, falling debris resulting from the operation had caused no casualties or damage, Sobyanin said.

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PEKIN, Elektrostal - Lenina Ave. 40/8 - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor