Q: I have been advised to take anti Malaria pills before I come out there and for the duration of my stay. What do you think?
A: Our Oyibos are split on this one. Â Some of us take our medication faithfully. Others, Chief Oyibo included, take nothing at all.
These drugs can have rather serious side effects so do check with your doctor before taking them are currently recommended for long term use.
The argument for taking nothing at all is that some believe that the drugs can sometimes mask the symptoms of Malaria making it more difficult to detect and delaying treatment.
The decision is ultimately yours.
Click here for our Malaria information page
Q: Do I need vaccinations to travel into Nigeria?
A: A valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate must be shown at te ahe international airport when you land. Â If you fail to have one you will be forced to pay for one. Â We recommend you avoid the hassle and probably overcharging, bribes and stress and do it before you get here.
We would also advise a Tetanus, Diphtheria and Measles shot as well as, Hepatitis A and B. You should also consider Typhoid, Meningitis and Rubella as well as Rabies if your work will bring you into contact with wild animals. Check out our complete list for adults and kids here…
Q: How will I know if I have Malaria?
A: Trust us when we say you’ll know. A fever or flu like symptoms are usually the first signs of infection. Other indications are aching joints or headache. One or more of these symptoms and we would suggest a quick trip to the clinic for a blood test.
We know that we sometimes sound flippant on this site but Malaria is a very serious illness and can be fatal. Don’t hang about if you have any suspicions.
Early detection means early treatment. Don’t take any chances.
Q: Is HIV as big a problem in Africa as people say?
A: Absolutely! Inadequate testing makes it impossible for us to give you even an approximate infection figure.
We do know that testing is not that common due economics and the standard of health care.
There is also a huge stigma associated with the disease. Many HIV+ people are thrown out of their homes and jobs here and are pretty much ostracized from their local communities.
Another factor in the inaccurate reporting of figures is that the cause of death on many death certificates may be something other than HIV. An already weakened AIDs patient can have little or no resistance to other illness such as Malaria, Typhoid or even the common cold. The symptoms are treated but the underlying cause is very rarely discovered or documented.
Poor health care, sanitation and education is doing nothing to lessen the problem