Do you need to take malaria pills before going to Africa?

CDC recommends that travelers going to certain areas of South Africa take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip.



People Also Ask

You should begin taking antimalarial tablets before arriving in a malaria-risk area as guided by your travel health professional. Some tablets need to start a few days before you travel, whilst others may need to be started a week or more before travel.

MORE DETAILS

Travelers to sub-Saharan Africa have the greatest risk of both getting malaria and dying from their infection. However, all travelers to countries where malaria is present may be at risk for infection.

MORE DETAILS

Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Niger account for about half of all such fatalities. Nigeria alone had 31.3% of the world's malaria deaths in 2021. Malaria is transmitted through mosquitoes infected with plasmodium, a single-cell parasite.

MORE DETAILS

Tips for Travel to Africa All travelers to Africa require the hepatitis A and typhoid vaccine, and many destinations require the yellow fever vaccine. Equally important is to protect against mosquitoes using insect repellent with DEET.

MORE DETAILS

The South African National Department of Health recommends that travelers practice mosquito avoidance year-round in malaria risk areas and take malaria chemoprophylaxis during September–May.

MORE DETAILS