What inoculations will I need?

Where in the world you’re planning to visit will affect what precautions you need to take, so a visit to a travel health clinic is a good place to start when enquiring about what inoculations you’ll need.

The advantage of using a travel clinic is that they should have up-to-date information on what diseases are present in which countries and which medication and jabs you’ll need; information your family doctor may not be able to provide.

“We do recommend that as soon as you start planning your holiday” you come and see us, says Jackie Ensor from SAA Netcare Travel Clinic in Sandton, “as some vaccinations have a course of three injections” which need to be taken over a few weeks.

Travel clinics provide the full range of health services and can offer the latest health information, administer vaccinations and provide travel first aid kits. Before visiting the clinic it’ll help if you have a good idea of which areas you’ll be visiting, how long you will be staying and what the accommodation will be like — this will help the staff assess what risk you’re likely to be exposed to.

If you’re going to be travelling anywhere with poor sanitation then you’ll probably need to be vaccinated against Hepatitis A and Typhoid, both of which are water-borne diseases.

Another nasty to be cautious of is cholera; which is caused by bacteria excreted in faeces ending up in drinking water. The disease even exists in parts of South Africa, so watch out what water you drink and, if in doubt, drink bottled water instead. Think twice about the ice in your drink too… it could lead to a severe case of ‘Delhi Belly’!

Yellow fever is another serious disease to consider, and if you’re travelling to or from a yellow fever area (mainly Central Africa and tropical South America) you’ll need to present proof that you’ve been vaccinated.

When you get the jab you’ll be given a certificate stating that you’ve been vaccinated against yellow fever. Keep this certificate with your passport (and in a safe place!) as you’ll need to present it at passport control. The immunisation only becomes effective after ten days, but one jab lasts for ten years.

What about malaria?

Malaria affects over 350 million people in 100 countries each year; making it one of the world’s biggest killers… not a disease to be taken lightly!

“What we do is follow a three-step rule: take preventative measures, take medication and seek medical attention”, says Jackie.

By taking preventative measures, Jackie stresses the importance of wearing long-sleeved clothing at dawn and dusk, using a mosquito net when sleeping and applying mosquito repellents.

When it comes to taking malaria prophylaxis (preventative medication), each person is unique. “A lot of medications have contra effects which mean they can’t be taken by people with certain medical conditions.”

What you’re planning on doing on holiday also has to be taken into account. “If you want to go scuba diving, you shouldn’t be taking Lariam,” adds Jackie.

Also bear in mind that some strains of malaria are becoming increasingly resistant to common prophylaxis (especially chloroquine on its own), so it’s important to visit a travel clinic to get medication effective for the region you’re visiting.

Remember too that just because you’re on malaria prophylaxis doesn’t mean that you’ll be immune to the disease. Jackie says that you “should seek medical attention if you feel sick or are experiencing flu-like symptoms within six months of leaving a malaria area.”

Will I need a first aid kit?

If you’re going to be travelling away from medical facilities you should consider carrying your own first aid kit. The SAA Netcare Travel Clinics offer three different kits which, depending on where you’re travelling to, include clean needles, rubber gloves, syringes and basic medical supplies one might not find in a rural clinic.

You could also make up your own basic kit, which should include plasters, antiseptic cream, insect repellent, anti-nausea tablets, diarrhoea medication and headache tablets. If you’ve got space you could include assorted bandages, gauze, antihistamines, sunscreen, throat lozenges, disinfectant soap, first aid manual, safety pins, razor blade and thermometer.

And remember, Africa has the highest HIV/Aids infection rate in the world so don’t turn that holiday fling into a life sentence – cover up and use protection.

If you are on prescription medication, Jackie also advises that you take along a full course as well as a doctor’s note in case customs officials give you about your medicine chest.

If the worst should happen?

No matter how careful you are disaster still might strike, so make sure you’re adequately insured if it does. Booking flights with your credit card often offers free travel insurance, but this is rarely sufficient.

Some medical aids (such as Discovery) also include free travel insurance. This usually offers good medical cover, but it’s important to check the details of the cover before you leave, as this may not cover expenses like repatriation, refunds for missed flights etc.

Companies such as Flight Centre now allow you to purchase travel insurance online, which will ensure adequate cover for trip cancellation, lost luggage and medical emergencies. Also make sure that your policy covers any adventure sports you might be planning to do, as these are generally seen as high-risk activities.

Useful links...

• www.traveldoctor.co.uk explains what shots you'll need for where.
• Find an SAA travel clinic near you.