What to do if you need a doctor while on holiday in Hurghada

Falling ill on holiday is disorienting. You are away from your own doctor, you may not speak the language, and you do not know which door to walk through. This is what to do if that happens to you on the Red Sea coast.

If someone is unconscious, struggling to breathe, bleeding heavily, or has chest pain, do not wait and do not try to find a taxi first. Call MedPark on +20 122 271 0888. The line answers 24 hours a day, and the team can send an ambulance and prepare for your arrival while you are still on the phone.

Most holiday illnesses are not emergencies. Sunburn, an ear infection after swimming, a stomach upset, a cut that needs cleaning, toothache. MedPark Health Hub in Hurghada and MedPark Hospital in El Quseir are open around the clock and you do not need an appointment to be seen.

• Your passport or a photograph of it.
• Your travel insurance policy number and the insurer's emergency contact.
• Any medication you already take, in its original box.
• The name and room number of your hotel, which helps with follow-up and with insurance paperwork.

English, German and Polish are spoken at MedPark. If you are more comfortable explaining your symptoms in your own language, say so when you arrive.

Hotel reception can arrange transport and, in many cases, has dealt with MedPark before. Letting them know also means someone knows where you have gone.