Sub Saharan Africa

You should be aware that medical facilities are limited, especially outside Dar es Salaam.

There are confirmed human cases of the A (H1N1) virus (Swine Flu) in Tanzania. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6.  The WHO website at: www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details.  You should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. There are health inspections at all the major entry points to Tanzania.  There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on the FCO website.   Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk.

Malaria is common to Tanzania. There have also been recent cases of sleeping sickness occurring after bites from tsetse flies in northern parts of Tanzania, including the Serengeti. Other diseases, such as cholera and rift valley fever, occur periodically, largely in rural areas where access to sanitation is limited. You should drink or use only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks. If you suffer from diarrhoea during or after a visit to Tanzania you should seek medical attention immediately.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 1,300,000 adults aged 15 or over in Tanzania were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 6.2% 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 Tanzania 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.

For more general health information see Travel Health.