Sub Saharan Africa

Water-borne diseases, malaria and cholera are common in Congo.

Medical facilities in the country are extremely limited, particularly in rural areas.

Since December 2006, outbreaks of cholera have been reported in Pointe Noire, Kouilou and Brazzaville.  The majority of cases have been reported from Pointe Noire.  You should drink or use only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks.  If you suffer from diarrhoea during a visit to Congo you should seek immediate medical attention.

Outbreaks of the human form of the Ebola fever have occurred in recent years. The WHO declared the most recent outbreak of the disease over in June 2005, but warned that another outbreak could occur soon.

You should not eat 'bush meat'.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 73,000 adults aged 15 or over in Congo were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 3.5% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%.  You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Congo and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.  For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Heath Network and Centre NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health