Sub Saharan Africa

Medical facilities in Guinea‑Bissau are extremely limited.

Malaria and other tropical diseases are common, especially during the rainy season (July-October). 

Water is often unsafe. In June 2008 cholera broke out in Tombali province. It has since spread to other areas, including Bissau, resulting in over 200 fatalities. If you take sensible precautions you are unlikely to be affected. You should take particular care with uncooked foods and you should drink or use only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks. If you suffer from diarrhoea during a visit to Guinea-Bissau you should seek immediate medical attention.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 15,000 adults aged 15 or over in Guinea Bissau were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 1.8% 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 Guinea Bissau 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 NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel health and Swine Flu pages.