malaria areas

[Denise S.]

We are travelling to South Africa end Sept to Oct. We understand Swaziland and Kruger are malaria areas.
I understand from my doctor that 'Malarone' tablets are the best but very expensive.
Has anyone any experience of travelling to these areas.
Many thanks in advance.

[lafrancaise]

I haven't been to these areas but have been to others where there's the risk of malaria. Taking tablets, however expensive are well worth it, just consider the price as part of the holiday budget. have a good time!

[BenDToy]

Hello again Denise. We took Malarone for our week in Kruger and it was rather expensive. Not only that, our GP charged �10 each for the prescription, and then the tablets were over �80 (for 2 of us for 1 week). I am not sure what you want me to say - I don't think either of us got malaria. My wife got a couple of bites, but she can get bitten anywhere. I didn't - but I never do. If i was going again, i think I would still take them. They are recommended for a reason, I think. We met quite a few people who hadn't taken them, but maybe they came back and had malaria.

[jno]

Kruger is malarial, though the risk is not high. The worst time is December to April. There are cheaper pills available on the NHS but these days the mossies have developed immunity to them. Lariam is reasonably cheap but makes some people psychotic. Some people take antibiotics; and locals use some sort of Chinese medicine whose name escapes me.

Anyway, I take Malarone, which isn't available on the NHS so costs a lot. You could try googling it to see who sells it cheapest.

http://www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger/tourism/m alaria.php

[Denise S.]

Hello again BenDToy I haven't found out how much my GP will charge for the prescription, but I have been searching and I can get Malarone for between �1.99 and �2.15 per tablet. I agree, we shall take them, but the practice nurse said just to take them one day before entering Kruger and not for the whole of S.Africa. I think we shall need about 10 each, as I understand you take them for a week after returning. It's better to be safe.
Thank you lafrancaise and jno too !

[jno]

yes, that's the one good thing about Malarone, you don't have to take them a week before and a month after the way you used to, just a day and a week. In fact if you keep covered up, especially in the evenings, you may find you don't get bitten at all, in which case you can stop as soon as you leave the area. (Don't know what you do with untaken tablets... eBay?)

[KARL]

You could have a look at the following past questions where along with the contributions of many others you will see what my opinion is on this subject.

[KARL]

oops, forgot to paste in the numbers: 370783 357739 354161 354256 270757. Sorry

[Denise S.]

KARL - how do I view these questions and answers?

[jno]

Denise, at the top of the screen in the address panel you'll see the URL of this page - the number is 377604. Just replace that figure with the ones Karl gave (well, one at a time) and press Enter.

[Denise S.]

Thank you KARL and jno - what fantastic advise we get on answerbank ! I am so pleased we found this site !