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Country Guide > Africa > Angola | |
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Health
1 A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year of age coming from infected areas. Pregnant women and infants under nine months should not be vaccinated and therefore should avoid exposure to infection. Travellers arriving from non-endemic zones should note that vaccination is strongly recommended for travel outside the urban areas, even if an outbreak of the disease has not been reported and they would normally not require a vaccination certificate to enter the country. 2 Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is no longer a condition of entry to Angola. However, cholera is a serious risk in this country and precautions are essential. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness. For more information, consult the Health appendix. 3 Typhoid fever is widespread; poliomyelitis is endemic. 4 Malaria risk, predominantly in the malignant falciparum form, exists all year throughout the country, even in urban areas, and is reported to be resistant to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. Mefloquine (MEF), doxycycline or malarone are the recommended prophylaxes. Food & drink All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised, but make sure that it is reconstituted with pure water. Avoid dairy products, which are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled. Other risks Hepatitis A and E are widespread, hepatitis B is hyperendemic. Many insect-borne diseases, such as onchocerciasis (river blindness) and trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), exist all year throughout the country, including urban areas. Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present; avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water. Swimming pools which are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Meningitis outbreaks occur. Dengue fever epidemics occur sporadically; natural foci of plague have been reported. Vaccination is advisable for long-staying visitors, who should also consider hepatitis B and diphtheria vaccines and check their BCG status. Take precautions against heat exhaustion and sunstroke. As of May 26 2005, Angola has incurred 399 cases of Marburg haemorrhagic fever - 355 of which proved fatal. These cases mainly occurred in the Uige Province. Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix. Health care Full health insurance is essential and should include medical evacuation insurance. There are some hospital facilities in the main towns but, at the moment, adequate medical facilities are virtually non-existent. However, there are some good private clinics in Luanda. Medical treatment is free although often inadequate, and visitors should travel with their own supply of remedies for simple ailments such as stomach upsets, as pharmaceutical supplies are usually extremely difficult to obtain. |