Malaria tablets (antimalarial treatment)

Malaria is a serious tropical disease spread by mosquitoes. When they sting, a parasite they carry is transferred to your blood. If it is not diagnosed and properly treated it can be fatal. Malaria can be treated, but certain types of the disease can recur, affecting you for life. This is why prevention is so important if you are travelling to a malaria risk area.

Stopping mosquitoes from biting you is the first way to prevent malaria – wear long-sleeved clothes in the evening when mosquitoes are most active, and wear 70% DEET insect repellent.

If you are stung, the only way to avoid malaria is if you have been taking anti-malaria tablets. You must start taking these before reaching the malaria risk area for them to be most effective.