Health risks during Tanzacat

Here is the official recommendation of the US government:

Health

Travellers are advised to take medical advice at least three weeks before leaving for Tanzania. Most visitors will need vaccinations for hepatitis A, typhoid, yellow fever and polio. Those arriving from an infected country must hold a yellow fever vaccination certificate. There is a risk of malaria all year and most doctors will recommend medication. Sleeping sickness is a risk in the game parks and visitors should avoid bites by tsetse flies. HIV/Aids is a serious risk. Cholera outbreaks are common throughout the country and visitors are advised to drink bottled or steralised water only. Medical services are available in Dar-es-Salaam and other main towns, but facilities and supplies are limited; visitors with particular requirements should take their own medicines. Comprehensive medical insurance is advised.

Here is my personal list of health risks in Tanzania during Tanzacat. I have ranked them from high to low risk:

Sun

I reckon the highest risk is sunburn and dehydration. Tanzania is not far from the equator and if you are at sea (or on the beach) the sun is reflected by the sea. So rule number one is to make sure that you are well protected from the sun. This includes sunscreen and appropriate clothing. You will see that none of our club sailors goes out there without a hat and many wear sun-protecting shirts.

Especially after a party night (and we expect many of them), make sure to rehydrate properly in the morning before going on a boat. I recommend at least 2 liters of (non-alcoholic) fluids before the start of each morning race.

Diarrhea

Many travelers to tropical countries are affected by Diarrhea. This is sometimes related to travel sickness and sometimes to the unaccustomed food.I recommend carrying some anti-diarrhea tablet (for example: Immodium (loperamide)) for the treatment of simple diarrhea.

Injuries

There will be an ambulance with paramedics on standby during the Tanzacat event. So any small injuries like bruises, abrasions and so on can be taken care of at the venue. The IST-Clinic (www.istclinic.com) which is close to the DYZ offers more advanced first aid (suturing and so on).

In case of a major injury, we have an orthopedic surgeon (me) participating in the races and there is a fairly good hospital in Dar es Salaam, which has x-ray, CT-scan and even MRI. I hope we won’t need it, but there is a flying doctor service too which can repatriate people in case of a major emergency.

Malaria

Mosquito’s carrying the Plasmodium parasite transmits malaria. Only the female mosquito feeds on blood and only one out of thousand carries the parasite, so that you can only catch Malaria if one of those female mozzys gets you.

AND YOU WILL BE BITTEN.

During daytime, the chances of mosquito bites are minimal. These monsters only attack in the early evening hours and at night. To reduce the chance of a bite, you should use insect repellants (locally available) on any part of your skin not covered by clothes and even under very thin fabrics. You can wear long sleeves and trousers, but don’t forget the mozzy repellant on your ankles and neck.

If you have an air-conditioned hotel room, you don’t have to use a mosquito net as these beasts don’t like it cold. If you stay in a non air-conditioned room, you should spray your room and mosquito net at least once a week with an insect killer (for example Doom which is locally available).

For those who want to play it safe, you can use chemical Malaria prophylaxis. There are many drugs on the market. Consult your local Tropical medicine specialist (you can find him under: http://www.istm.org). My personal recommendation is: don’t touch LARIAM (except if you had used it before and didn’t have any side effectc). My favorite drug that I recommend to my family is MALARONE. It is slightly more expensive than other drugs, but seems to be effective and well tolerated.

The IST-Clinic (www.istclinic.com) offers lab services including tests for Malaria and most other tropical diseases

Hepatitis A

You are at risk of contracting Hepatitis A when consuming contaminated food and water. Water shouldn’t be a problem, as I recommend you to drink bottled water only. If you like seafood though and especially uncooked seafood like sushi or oysters, you run a higher risk of contracting Hepatitis.

For those people I recommend a Hepatitis A vaccination.

Typhoid

Typhoid is transmitted in the same way as Hepatitis. Outbreaks of Typhoid are rare and usually limited to underprivileged people living under poor sanitary conditions. I haven’t heard of any tourist contracting Typhoid in Tanzania lately.

Yellow fewer:

Yellow fever is a viral disease transmitted between humans by a mosquito. Yellow fever is a very rare cause of illness in travelers and it occurs mostly in the savanna regions of the Serengeti. General precautions to avoid mosquito bites should be followed. These include the use of insect repellent, protective clothing, and mosquito netting. Yellow fever vaccine is a live virus vaccine, which has been used for several decades. A single dose confers immunity lasting 10 years or more.

For those of you planning to do a safari or going upcountry, I recommend the Yellow Fewer vaccination.

For those traveling back to South Africa: On entering SA coming from a Yellow Fewer area, you must produce a vaccination certificate. If you don’t have it, they’ll give you the shot and the card at the airport for the very special discount price of 90 US$.

Polio:

All of you should have got your polio immunization as a child and should still be covered but if you are unsure, consult your physician.

HIV

The official statistics say that about 12% of the population is HIV positive. In my opinion, these figures are slightly understated.If you plan some extra-matrimonial experiments, be sure to be on the safe side.

First aid kit

Visitors who want to bring along their own first aid kit should include the following:

  • Mosquito repellant
  • Antidiarrheal (like Immodium)
  • Rehydration salt
  • Disinfection crème/spray
  • Small plasters, Sports tape for blisters
  • Antihistamine
  • Aspirine/Paracetamol
  • Ointment for the treatment of sprains/bruises

These items are mostly available (without prescription) in local drug stores. People, who are on regular medication at home, should of course bring their own supply for the duration of their stay, as some combination of drugs may not be available. The same applies for anti-baby pills.

Dr. Stan: