Your approach to malaria

This is obviously a personal choice and it involves understanding and accepting risks both of contracting malaria as well as risks of side effects of anti-malarial drugs and the fact that none of them are 100% effective.

So after that disclaimer, we decided to not take anti malaria drugs for the 18 months of our stay, have been here 8 months and have not (so far) contracted malaria. We do, however, use bed nets at home and I certainly recommend them. We have stayed at hotels around Ghana that do not have netting, and have not had any horror stories to tell - yet. We keep malarial treatment drugs on-hand (they are quite inexpensive) and will use them if need be.

Your mileage may vary...Best of luck with your stay.

thanks for your reply..

I am also tempted not to take anything to avoid assimilating a lot of chemicals that may be as bad a malaria itself...

in case you catch malaria, it's possible to remove it completely or you will have it for your lifetime and will have to control it with some drugs?

thanks very much

It all depends on your lifestyle and surroundings. I have been here almost 3 years and haven't had malaria yet. Our house is screened and if I do go out at night I use repellent but don't take any anti-malarial drugs. When I was here in the 90s I was living in Enchi in Western Region and despite taking palaudrine I had a lot of bouts of malaria. Eventually when I returned to the UK I took quinnine to eliminate all the malaria parasites from my system and it has never recurred.

take malarone for the 2 years (+ use insect repellant, etc...) because that will be the best.
Regards.

ale.b wrote:

Hello All,

i am moving to Ghana (accra) from the UK for 2 years and i am evaluating what approach to take against malaria:


-take malarone for the 2 years (+ use insect repellant, etc...)
-do not take any anti-malaria pills and just use insect repellant and always use long sleeved clothes
-do not take any anti-malaria pills and just use insect repellant and always use long sleeved clothes BUT take malarone whenever i am going to remote areas of Ghana or when i am volunteering in 'outskirts' of the city
(malaria spreading mozzies are not confined or restricted to any one particular area: in the bush, in the home, in the city, day or night; it can be in anywhere and at anytime) and I have been reliably informed that once contracted malaria, the parasites will NEVER die but live on in our liver(?) and when one's immune system is weak, they strike again - diver7up
the views from my doctors/employer/online are very contrasting and i would like to understand your experience living there.

thanks very much - really appreciate your contribution!

ale

Hi ale,

I posted the below in the same forum but under the Angola section:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=80009

I read with interest on this subject matter as I have come down with malaria on 6 occasions thus I took the trouble to read up on this subject.

Whatever the case, prevention is the best medicine however, not all the times can we do so.

There are quite a few breeds of mosquitoes that can cause malaria but the more common ones are Anopheles or Aedes in my case. I have stayed in Africa (North, West and now in Angola) for almost 30 years.

I do not really know if the origin of a person or gene in terms of Nationalities (I am Asian) may have different levels of tolerance. In my case, I take medication only when I have already contracted malaria. There are many types of medicines but I have always resorted to Artesunate (full course)and please consult your doctors for medication. I refer to this because I have been prescribed and it worked all the times and sometime, in conjunction with other orthodox medicines.

There is another “herbal medicine” traditionally used in Western part where I used to stay and it was equally helpful, i.e. boiling pineapple skin with plenty of lemon grass. Drink often – makes a nice tea concoction anyway.

By the way, most malaria are contracted during day times than we normally believe; evening.

I also believe that for a foreigner who wants to purchase medication to treat local illness, please do consult the local doctors as they are more experienced in the treatment of endemic illness .e,g, no need for an Alaskan to return home to treat his malaria whilst he could have consulted a local doctor, lolx.

What I have narrated are just my personal experience and by no means are sure cures.

Bottom line, don't be stingy with the repellent, use mosquito nets and thick long sleeves where possible.

I have heard that body stench, alcohol filled body fluid, filthy socks and shoes are invitations for mozzie parties.

Stay healthy.

Please check up this link for more info on mosquitoes and malaria:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito#Natural_predators

Cheers