yellow fever and malariaCan someone advise me about vaccinations in Zambia?
You probably need: yellow fever, hep A and B, menengitis, MMR booster, Tetanus booster, polio, typhoid and anti-malaria tablets.
The only one of these that needs to spread out over time is Hep B, and you can do it over about 6 months. It's fine to do some of them before you go and some when you get back.
Depending on where you go and what conditions you'll stay in, you might not need a lot of these, though. The more rural you are, the more you need them, generally speaking.
You can find complete information here: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationZa鈥?/a>
This might also be useful: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw鈥?/a>
Common medical concerns in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana include the following:
Malaria: caused by a mosquito borne parasite, malaria is endemic in all of our main safari areas. From experience we've found the worst time of year for malaria generally from mid February to the end of June. The incidence of malaria diminishes as the season gets drier and cooler but there is still a risk even at the end of the dry season before the new rains. The best precautions are physical barriers in the early evenings and at night (long trousers and sleeves, 30% plus deet-based repellents, mosquito nets). You need to watch for the symptoms for several months after your return home - it's important to get treatment very quickly if you've contracted malaria. If you develop flu-like symptoms then get a quick and simple blood test without any delay to be on the safe side. Department of Health (UK) and MedicinePlanet]
Diarrhoea: a common problem when traveling in Africa. We've seen advice recommending that even salads should be washed in bottled mineral water?! That's extreme, the reality is that food preparation and presentation in some of the remotest camps is better than the fare you'll get in many well known hotels in Europe and North America. Just be sensible about what you eat and drink, and bring suitable medication in case.
Medical services: Even the remotest camps are reasonably well geared to handle minor mishaps in terms of first aid practitioners, trauma kits etc. In the event of a serious accident, Johannesburg in South Africa is the only real option for immediate high care evacuation in Southern Africa. Ensure that you have adequate medical insurance - as a rule the remoter and less developed the destination, the more expensive the evacuation.
Required inoculations: Hepatitis A and cholera for Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana. If you've traveled from another country where yellow fever occurs then you may be required to produce an International Certificate of Vaccination when entering Zimbabwe, Zambia or Botswana. (Yellow fever occurs in the north west of Zambia
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