Medical precautions when visiting West-Africa

There is no getting around the fact that there are some pretty serious health risks to visiting West Africa. With a tropical climate there are quite a few diseases that you don't have to deal with at home. Things are made even worse by the fact that medical care in most countries in the region is almost non-existent. There is no reason to be paranoid but you do have to take certain medical precautions to keep yourself safe.

The most important precautions that you can take when visiting West Africa is to make sure that you get all of the necessary vaccinations. There are quite a few of them that are worth considering so you will want to talk to your doctor. He should know what vaccinations you will need during your visit. The ones that you absolutely need to have are for malaria, yellow fever and hepatitis A. It is also a good idea to get a vaccination for typhoid and meningitis but these are not absolutely required. In addition it is a good idea to update your shots for things like tetanus, diphtheria and polio although these are not specifically related to West Africa.

Another important medical precaution that you are going to want to take in West Africa is to protect yourself from mosquitoes. Both yellow fever and malaria are cared by the mosquito and even with the vaccination there is a chance that you can get it. A mosquito net is absolutely required for most of the areas that you will go in West Africa. It is also a good idea to make sure that you have a good quality repellent with you.

Another important medical precaution while you are in West Africa is to make sure that you have a well stocked first aid kit with you. If you do get hurt supplies will likely be hard to come by. The actual contents of your kit will vary depending on your situation. If you require any prescription drugs you are going to have to bring them with you. It is also a good idea to have basic medications like aspirin as well as lots of bandages and something to clean wounds with. It is also a good idea to bring your own needles in case you need a shot while you are in Africa.

One last medical precaution that you are going to want to take is to make sure that you know how to access a doctor if you need one. Most of the countries in West Africa have a small number of doctors who have been trained in Europe or North America; this is who you are going to want to see if you have an emergency. Make sure that you know how to contact them; your embassy should be able to give you a list of recommended doctors in the country.