Malaria tablets needed for Kenya?

There is malaria in Kenya. You can take the usual precautions against mosquito bites, e.g. long sleeves, DEET, etc. You should also think seriously about taking anti-malarial tablets.

As you are so close to travelling, the options are Doxycycline or Proguanil.

Begin one day before and take throughout the journey, then continue for 4 weeks after leaving the area. Both can cause nausea and diarrhoea - and don't get pregnant with Doxyclcline.


The other tablets need to be started one week before travelling.



From the WHO:

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Malaria: Malaria risk—predominantly due to P. falciparum—exists throughout the year in the whole country. There is normally little risk in the city of Nairobi and in the highlands (above 2500 m) of Central, Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley and Western provinces. P. falciparum resistant to chloroquine and sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine reported.

Recommended prevention: IV

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Type IV

High risk of falciparum malaria plus drug resistance, or moderate/low risk falciparum malaria but high drug resistance


Type of prevention:

Mosquito bite prevention plus either mefloquine, doxycycline or atovaquone/proguanil (take one that no resistance is reported for in the specific areas to be visited

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There is also a new-ish anti-malarial on the market called Malarone which has all the benefits (in fact has less resistance than longer-established drugs) and none of the side-effects. I have used it myself in Kenya. Only downside as far as I can see is that it is very expensive and I don't know how easy it is to get (if at all) in HK.

It's a Glaxosmithkline product, see link


http://www.malarone.com/

I was recommended to take Malaria medication when I went to Kenya in June. Also had a heap of other injections and stuff including yellow fever etc etc. You'll have a fab time - where are you going on safari

We went to Kenya the year before last and got prescriptions (including malaria) and shots (Hep ones and polio etc) from Quality Healthcare in Princes Building. The only one we couldn't get there was the yellow fever shot. Needed to go to a special travel vaccination centre for that.