Travel Advice - Health

General travel health tips:
• visit your medical advisor at least six weeks before you travel to check if you need any vaccinations or to take other steps (like taking malaria tablets).
• you should also make extra preparations if you have an existing medical condition.
• take out adequate travel insurance or you could face a huge medical bill if you fall ill and need treatment
• drink plenty of water in hot climates to avoid dehydration
• be safe in the sun - use a high-factor sunscreen and avoid excessive sunbathing between 11am - 3pm
• find out the local emergency services numbers and the number of the local hospital
• practice safe sex - take condoms with you because the quality varies in different countries. HIV and Aids, and other sexually transmitted diseases are a risk.

Immunization
• A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year of age arriving from infected areas. The yellow fever vaccination certificate only becomes valid 10 days after immunisation.

• Malaria risk, predominantly in the malignant falciparum form, exists throughout the year except for the drier western parts or higher altitude areas. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported.

It is strongly recommended that visitors to malaria areas take anti-malaria tablets before entering these areas (tablets are available from pharmacies without prescription). The recommended prophylaxis is chloroquine plus proguanil or chloroquine plus pyrimethamine.
It is advisable to contact your medical advisor.

• Tap water is safe to drink in urban areas in South Africa, but may be contaminated elsewhere and sterilisation is advisable. Contaminated drinking water is one of the leading sources of health problems for travelers. Use bottled water or alternatives and consider carrying a filter or tablets to sterilize water.

4. Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay.

• Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is endemic in some countries and may be present elsewhere. Avoid swimming and paddling in stationary water. Swimming pools which are well-chlorinated and maintained are safe.

• Hepatitis A occurs and hepatitis B is hyper endemic. Be extremely cautious about any sexual activity in Africa.

Please also consult the individual country guidelines.

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