Travel Health in Africa & Vaccinations

Please take note that health and travel vaccination information given below is intended to be used as a guide only. For confirmation on the vaccinations you’ll need for travelling to Africa, please consult your doctor or pharmacist before departing on your expedition.

Bear in mind that on all our expeditions, you’ll have round the clock support from Pathfinders for the duration of your placement, and you’ll be under the supervision of our Pathfinders expedition leaders in each destination. They are experienced in living in the African bush and so will be able to provide useful medical or general health advice.

In addition, staying in groups with your expedition leaders, eating a healthy diet and taking the necessary health precautions (as well as having all your travel vaccinations done before you leave) will reduce the risk of infection of most of the diseases outlined below.

Some of the more common diseases present in Africa are listed below, along with means of avoiding them through travel vaccinations i.e. immunisation, and medication.

Illness & Disease - Find out about holiday vaccinations and other health precautions you should take for travel to Africa.

Numerous illnesses and diseases are present throughout Africa and many of them have similar symptoms. With most serious diseases found in Africa, vaccinations have been developed as a form of protection. Some travel vaccinations can result in different side effects depending on the person, but if you’re planning on travel to Africa, you should always get specialist advice from your doctor or travel clinic. Many countries have clinics that specialise in tropical disease. If you are careful about hygiene when it comes to eating and drinking, the risk of contracting most prevalent diseases can be greatly reduced.

However careful you are though, you might still be susceptible to some form of stomach upset, which can be caused simply by the change in diet or climate, but these usually clear up within a few days.

AIDS/HIV in Africa

AIDS/HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases are prevalent throughout Africa and it goes without saying that very strict precautions should always be taken.

Local health workers deal with AIDS victims regularly and, contrary to popular belief, they do realise the dangers involved in using unsterilised needles and in a town hospital or clinic you are unlikely to be at risk.

Bilharzia (Schistosomiasis) in Africa

Bilharzia these days is curable but it is still advisable to take precautions. Some protection can be found by steering clear of still water pools, dams and some lower lying rivers, using an insect repellent such as DEET before swimming or paddling and drying yourself off thoroughly with a towel.
Cholera - For most African countries, cholera is a public health problem. It is a bacterial disease transmitted mainly through contamination of food and water, but human to human transmission is rare. If you are in an area where there is poor sanitation and hygiene, you should only drink pre-packaged drinks (in cans or bottled) with no ice. You should only use water that has been boiled. You should also avoid raw and undercooked fish or other seafood, vegetables and salads.

Diarrhoea & Sickness

For most people, a bout of traveller’s diarrhoea is inevitable while traveling in Africa. Diarrhoea can also be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever and abdominal cramps. Most standard medical kits should include rehydration salts and temporary diarrhoea medication.

Hepatitis A in Africa

This is a viral infection of the liver that is passed on through poor personal hygiene, poor sanitation and intimate contact. In most cases, the disease is contracted by drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated food stuffs but it is possible to catch the disease by touching an infected object or from the hands of an infected individual with poor sanitation habits. The same advice should be taken of avoiding eating raw vegetables and poorly cooked fish, and boiling or sterilising all drinking water in order to reduce the likelihood of contracting the disease.

Hepatitis B in Africa

Hepatitis B is present throughout Africa, but it is only normally transmitted through blood and other body fluids and sexual contact. As a rule of thumb, the Hepatitis B vaccination will protect you but it is only necessary if you are likely to have medical treatment, including dental treatment using local facilities, or intend having sexual contact with residents which we do not recommend under any circumstances.
Typhoid – This is a bacteria found in contaminated food or water that is transmitted by humans usually by person-to-person contact. A vaccination for typhoid is recommended for all visitors to Africa.

Yellow Fever in Africa

Yellow Fever is passed on to humans by mosquitoes and it is advisable to have the vaccination if you intend to travel to Africa. If you have been to a country which contains incidents of Yellow Fever infections, most other countries in the world will require you to show an International Certificate of Vaccination as proof that you have had the yellow fever vaccination.

Malaria in Africa

Malaria is the most widely prevalent disease in Africa and in most African countries, preventative measures should be taken. Although it is impossible to protect yourself completely, you can reduce the risk of getting a serious bout of the disease that becomes life threatening.

Some form of preventative drugs (get the latest advice from your doctor/ pharmacist or a Tropical Diseases Hospital) should be taken to lower the risk of contracting malaria. You should cover exposed skin with clothes between dusk and dawn, use a mosquito repellent and mosquito net and avoid from still water and dark damp places. Malaria can take from a week to several months to incubate and symptoms can vary from headaches, flu-likes aches and pains to disorientation and high temperatures.

Vaccinations & Immunisations

Planning your travel vaccinations & immunisation should be done well before your trip’s departure date. Cholera and yellow fever vaccinations are compulsory in some African countries and you will need to have an International Certificate showing your immunisation against them. You should also consider having certain other travel vaccinations as a matter of preventing yourself from contracting them.

Yellow fever vaccination - Many countries in Africa will require you to show proof that you are immunized, especially if you are arriving from another infected area or country. Even if it is not mandatory, a yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travel to countries where yellow fever is a risk. The current Yellow Fever vaccine lasts for 10 years. Contact your physician or travel clinic for further details and latest advice.

Hepatitis A vaccination - Africa is a high-risk area for Hepatitis A. If you are visiting any country in Africa, it is therefore recommended that you get the travel vaccinations for it.
Tetanus – Immunisation is recommended for all travelers to Africa. Protection lasts for up to 10 years.

Typhoid vaccination - is present throughout Africa and therefore if you are planning travel to Africa, you should consider getting the vaccination. Two different typhoid vaccinations are available. Injectable Vi (single dose), lasts up to 3 years and is new to the market, while Oral typhoid capsules which require annual boosting.

Hepatitis B vaccination - Hepatitis B is only passed on through sexual contact or contact with contaminated blood, needles and syringes. A Hepatitis B injection is therefore only recommended if you plan to receive medical treatment abroad or anticipate having sexual contact with local inhabitants.

Personal Medical / First Aid Kit

While we bring well-equipped medical kits along on all our expeditions, if you are travelling overland in Africa and to remote regions in African countries, a small medical kit can be extremely useful.

The suggested contents should include Malaria tablets (get advice from your doctor or pharmacist), soluble aspirin, a course of antibiotics, re-hydration salts, plasters and bandages, potassium permanganate crystals, water purification tablets and other drying antiseptic, iodine and sunscreen. Other essential items include scissors, tweezers, a thermometer, and a torch are also essential items.

The endless plains in Kenya.

Sleeping for the night during the camel trek.

Crossing a river during a hiking trip.

Happy and smiling African children.

Clients enjoying the view.

Travel Health in Africa & Vaccinations

Illness & Disease - Find out about holiday vaccinations and other health precautions you should take for travel to Africa.

Vaccinations & Immunisations

Personal Medical / First Aid Kit

Africa Newsletter