Sub Saharan Africa

Medical facilities in The Gambia are very limited and the cost of medical evacuation can be very high.  Private clinics will only treat fee-paying patients.

 

If you intend to bring prescription medication you should also bring a copy of your prescription and keep items in the original packaging.

 

Water borne diseases and malaria are common in the Gambia throughout the year.  The risk of malaria is greater during the months of June to November.  In November 2005, two British nationals died from malaria after travelling to The Gambia.

 

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 7,500 adults aged 15 or over in The Gambia were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.9% 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 the Gambia and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up to date.  For further information on endemic diseases, like malaria, health outbreaks and vaccination requirements for The Gambia you should check the websites of the National Travel Health Network and Centre NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47. 

 

For more general information see Travel health.