Be pro-active and take malaria prophylaxis beforehand!

It’s very important to take precautionary measures before visiting a malaria affected area. You should consult your doctor or pharmacist before going to an area that has malaria to make sure that you take the correct malaria prophylaxis.

The type of malaria prophylaxis you will receive will depend on factors such as:

Your age and weight.

• Which other medication you are using.
• If you suffer from medical conditions such as epilepsy or depression.
• Which activities you plan to do during the trip.

It’s very important that you take the prophylaxis exactly as prescribed and do not stop taking it too early after your return. Most medicine has to be taken for 4 weeks after you leave the malaria affected area.

Here are other ways you can protect yourself:

• Wear clothes with long sleeves and cover your ankles – especially at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.
• Use long-lasting insecticide sprays inside homes and buildings.
• Place wire or gauze screens on all doors and windows.
• Keep a fan on in the room during the night – the current seems to put off the mosquitoes!
• Apply mosquito repellent directly to your skin.
• Use mosquito netting over the beds – these can be soaked in certain types of insecticide.
• Try and spend evenings indoors rather than outdoors, as you are much less likely to get bitten by mosquitoes.
• Spray mosquito repellent on your blankets.

What are the symptoms of malaria?

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Muscle aches
• Fever
• Chills