Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled. Hepatitis A and hepatitis B are reported.
Diarrhoeal diseases are common.
Dengue fever , including its haemorrhagic form, occurs in epidemics. Diptheria, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, and typhoid may all occur. Tungaru Central Hospital on Tarawa provides medical service to all the islands. Government dispensaries on all islands are equipped to handle minor ailments and injuries. Visitors are advised to bring their own supply of basic medicine with them.