Malaria is a disease caused by plasmodium parasites and transmitted by the female anopheles mosquito. It usually manifests through high fever, diarrhoea cough and chills. These symptoms become visible after 10 to 15 days after the mosquito bite. However a proper diagnosis should be done through a laboratory test.
Is there a risk?
When you travel to the city area in Vietnam, you probably will not have the risk of contracting malaria. These are places such as Hanoi, Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh city, Can Tho, Hue, Hoi An, Danang…., but if you are travelling to the remote areas such as national parks of Vietnam, villages in mountainous areas, central highland of Vietnam…. for recreation or volunteer tourism that will require you to go deep into those remote areas then you are more prone to contracting malaria and will most likely require malarial prophylaxis for prevention. Areas that are prone to malaria are lam dong ninh thuan Song be Tay ninh Mekong and south east areas
What precaution to take
It is important to see a health officer in order for them to prescribe the right dosage and medication for malarial prophylaxis before exposure. Depending on the various strains of the disease there are medications that may not be efficient in preventing the disease in case you are exposed. In the remote areas of Vietnam medications like the chloroquin are not efficient so it is also good to seek medical advice and not to self medicate. It is also advisable to sleep under a mosquito net, use mosquito repellents and also spray your room with repellent to reduce the risk.
If you are set to visit the following areas however do not let the malarial scare threaten you because with prophylaxis you can get to experience the beauty, thrill and charm of:
- Gia Lai province
- Binh Phuoc province
- Dak Lak province
- Khanh Hoa province
- Ninh Thuan province
Among many other exotic places that will surely blow your mind away.
In conclusion, should you contract malaria while on a visit to Vietnam there is proper medication?
And hospitals that will be able to help you get fast and effective medication that has been researched on by the local medical professors and seconded by the world health organisation. This has been borne out of years of research and study on the strains that exist in Vietnam and also the medication that has since been declared not fit for use to do its resistance to the local strains. There are various hospitals that can be of help while in Vietnam and you need malarial treatment.
- Bach Mai hospital in Hanoi city
- Cho Ray hospital in Ho Chi Minh city
- Can Tho Central hospital in Can Tho city
- Long An General hospital in Long An Province
- Hue City Central hospital in Hue city
- Vietnam Sweden hospital in Quang Ninh
Among many other hospitals and hence, your trip to any area in Vietnam should be safe from worry and guaranteed safety. Precautionary measures should be adhered to so as to reduce the risk that could be there.
