Sub Saharan Africa

Medical facilities are poor in Guinea, with equipment basic and often not sterile. You should carry basic medical supplies, and should consider including an emergency dental kit if travelling outside Conakry.  There are minimal facilities for dealing with heart problems and major trauma.  For serious medical treatment, medical evacuation to Europe is necessary. There are well-stocked pharmacies in Conakry but few outside the capital.  

There are no central contact numbers for hospitals in Guinea.  Only private clinics can be contacted.  In Conakry, Clinique Pasteur can be reached on (+224) 30430074.

Malaria and other waterborne diseases, such as cholera, are prevalent.  Water supplies are untreated so 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 you should seek immediate medical attention.

Cholera occurs every year in the rainy season in most parts of the country, and lasts for up to eight months. 

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 81,000 adults aged 15 or over in Guinea were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 1.6% 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 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 Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

A (H1N1) - Swine Flu

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Threat Alert Phase remains at Level 5.  The WHO website has further details.

For more general health information see Travel health.