Medical

You should check with your doctor or travel clinic for the necessary anti-malarial and vaccination requirements and make sure you take any personal medicines, including malaria tablets in your hand baggage. You should also bring insect repellent and a high factor sun cream. Any minor scratches and cuts should be cleaned immediately and covered up to help prevent any infection. Hand washing facilities are not always available and people find gels or hand wipes very useful.

The most common problems visitors experience are minor tummy troubles. Please follow the food and water advice given. Mild sunstroke can cause upset tummies. The best advice, if you do suffer, is to try and let your system deal with it. In mild forms any discomfort should ease within 24 hours, but avoid eating much and drink plenty of water during this period (flat coca cola is a good rehydration fluid and is always available). It is not a great idea to immediately take things like imodium when symptoms first appear - try and let your body sort itself out. Equally use of antibiotics shouldn’t be contemplated unless you experience severe symptoms over 2-3 days.

In our experience, by far the most common causes of tummy upsets are either not drinking enough water and/or sitting in the sun.

Malaria

Malaria is endemic in East Africa and accounts for a large percentage of deaths in children under five. This is largely due to the costs associated with protection and treatment, which remain prohibitive for the average African. Fortunately we can afford to take the right precautions. Make sure you follow the instructions and complete the full course, including after you get back! It is vital that you take adequate precautions.

In addition to taking medical precautions, the best tactic is to avoid being bitten. You can help to achieve this by using mosquito nets, insect repellent and clothes to cover up, particularly in the evening. In areas where malaria is a problem mosquito nets are provided. If you take the correct precautions it is very unlikely that you will catch Malaria. If you do symptoms are similar to a severe dose of flu. If you experience any such symptoms on your return make sure your doctor knows that you have been to East Africa recently. Malaria is normally very treatable once diagnosed.

The Sun

Being so close to the equator and at a higher altitude than normal, the sun in East Africa is very strong, so don’t sit out in it for long even if you feel comfortable. Sunstroke is a real danger and not very pleasant. If the locals are sitting in the shade, you certainly should be! Mild sunstroke symptoms are headaches, upset stomach etc.

European skin types aren’t designed for equatorial sun exposure, you will burn much quicker than you might in somewhere like Spain. Use high factor sun cream all day, everyday. Be aware that when travelling it is quite possible to be burnt through the open windows of a car or the open roof of a safari vehicle.

AMREF

Willetts is registered with AMREF, the Flying Doctor Service, so you can take out additional emergency cover with them for 10 US$. This is in addition to and dependant upon normal travel insurance being in place. Fore further details check http://www.amref.org/.