Africa South of Sahara

Angola

Angola is a large, developing Southern African country that has been engulfed in war and civil strife since independence from Portugal in 1975. A peace accord signed in 1994 brought a temporary halt to Angola's civil war, but in late 1998 fighting resumed, making travel to and within Angola extremely unsafe. Facilities for tourism are non-existent.

Crime: Violent crime occurs regularly throughout Angola. Street crime is common in all areas of Luanda, at all hours.

Medical facilities: Adequate medical facilities are virtually non-existent throughout Angola, except in Luanda, where you can find some good private clinics. They usually have a 24-hour service under a general practitioner physician and all kinds of specialists on call.

Many of the following listed diseases are found in remote areas. They are mentioned in order to be aware as it is impossible to register the excact occurence in every regions.

Please notice that more than 25 mill people are infected by HIV south of Sahara.

Arthropod borne diseseases are common in this part of Africa why:

• Keep your arms and legs covered after sunset.
• Use insect repellent, preferably one containing DEET
• Sleep in properly screened rooms and employ a 'knockdown' spray to kill any mosquitos in the room.
• Use a mosquito net around the bed at night. Preferably the net should be impregnated with an insecticide.You should ensure that there are no holes in it and that it is well tucked in. Nets can often be bought from shops and from travel clinics.
• Use an insecticide to impregnate your cloth
• Air-conditioning is a highly effective means of keeping mosquitoes and other insects out of a room. In air-conditioned hotels, other precautions are not necessary indoors.

Arthropod borne diseases:

• Malaria
• Yellow fever
• Filariasis
• Leishamaniasis in arid areas
• Onchocerciasis ( River Blindness)
• Trypanosomiasis(African sleeping sickness)
• Relapsing fever
• Epidemic typhus
• Plague

Water- or food borne diseases:

• Cholera
• Amoebiasis
• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid fever
• Giardiasis
• E.coli

Other diseases

• Hepatitis B
• Trachoma
• HIV
• Polio
• Schistosomiasis (Bilharziasis)

Vaccination recommendation:

• Yellow fever
• Hepatitis A or Immune Globulin
• Hepatitis B or Immune Globulin
• Meningitis
• Typhoid fever - if staying in remote areas
• Rabies - if risk for contact with wild animals
• A booster for tetanus/diphtheria - if not covered which indicates not vaccinated within th last 10 years.

Prevent illness by:

• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.
• Drink only water from cans or boiled water
• Avoid using ice or drinking untreated water
• Wash and/or peel all raw vegetables and fruits before eating.
• Use uncontaminated water to wash all food that is to be eaten raw.
• Avoid eating uncooked foods
• Avoid swimming in fresh water
• Traffic accidents are the most common cause of injuries so be careful
• Avoid travelling at night and use safety belts when available
• To prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot.
• Use latex condoms for protection against sexually transmitted diseases
• Recommended malaria prophylaxis mefloquine (Chloroquine resistance)

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Updated 28-Apr-2003 • İtraveldoctorOnline 2001 • Disclaimer • webmaster

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