Anti Malarial

Antimalarials: Malaria Prevention

At Winnersh Pharmacy & Clinic, we can provide up to date advice and recommendations for the malaria risk at your destination, as well as for your individual circumstances. The risk is not always straightforward – it may vary in different parts of the same country and can change according to altitude or time of year, and not all medication is suitable for every traveller and every trip. Sometimes the risk may be present but at an extremely low level, making decisions about medication more complicated.

Malaria is a preventable and treatable tropical disease which is spread by mosquitoes. Each year there are more than 200 million new cases of malaria worldwide. In Western countries, nearly all malaria cases result from travel to malarial destinations, and each year, deaths occur that could have been prevented. That is why it’s important to be prepared before you visit an area at risk of malaria.

Malaria is prevented by taking antimalarial medication, also known as malaria tablets. They suppress development of the malaria parasite, keeping you healthy whilst you travel and on your return.

If you intend to visit malarial regions, ensure that you take the antimalarial medication with you for the whole duration of your trip, exactly as prescribed. We can help you find the antimalarial medication you need to take with you.

You should also use careful precautions to reduce numbers of mosquito bites. Malaria mosquitoes tend to bite at dusk and during the night, so you should use mosquito repellent, cover up, and consider using a mosquito killer and/or a mosquito bed net at night. Ask us for more information about bite prevention and suitable precautions.