Malaria

If you are travelling to the far north-east of South Africa you should consult a heath-care professional for the best and latest advice concerning malaria prophylaxis as it changes regularly. Malaria is endemic in the lowveld of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, and on the Maputaland coast of KwaZulu-Natal and you are at most risk in the summer months.The government has embarked on an extensive anti-malaria programme (in co-operation with Swaziland and Mozambique) and the incidence of malaria is decreasing.;;One reassuring thing about malaria is that – if you ensure that you don’t get bitten by a mosquito – there is absolutely no way at all that you can succumb to this rather nasty disease.

To protect yourself, always use mosquito repellent (even during the day), wear light, long-sleeved shirts, long pants and shoes and socks at night, and sleep under a net or in a mosquito-proof room. Many seasoned travellers swear by these simple and inexpensive measures in favour of the use of drugs.Even if you are taking oral malaria prophylaxis, you can still get malaria if you are bitten by an infected anopheles mosquito, so a good repellent and mechanical barriers are really your easiest, cheapest and most effective precautions.If you do decide to take malaria prophylaxis, it is essential to take the drugs according to the directions on the package insert. You need to start a week or two before entering a malaria-endemic area and it is also essential that you continue taking the drugs for four weeks after leaving the malaria risk area. Consult a health-care professional about the possible side-effects of the drugs. And note – there are alternative homeopathic malaria prophylactics but these are also not 100% effective.If you are pregnant, it is advisable to avoid malaria areas but you can still have a great holiday (including some excellent game viewing) without setting foot in a malaria-endemic area. Some medical conditions are contra-indications for malaria prophylactic drugs, so consult your regular doctor if you have any pre-existing maladies. Think carefully before taking young children into malaria areas.