Health & Safety

Staying Healthy

Avoiding stomach upsets and protection against contracting malaria are the major health concerns when visiting Kenya. Travelers staying in luxury accommodations have a lower risk of becoming ill than backpackers, but by taking common sense precautions, most visitors to Kenya will have a healthy vacation. It's a good idea to visit your doctor at least 6 weeks before departure for advice on vaccinations and medical requirements. Any prescribed medication should be taken with you, as it may not be available locally in Kenya. Travel insurance that includes medical care and repatriation to your home country is essential.

Recommended vaccinations for Kenya are hepatitis A, typhoid, tetanus, meningitis, diphtheria, yellow fever, and polio. The hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for minors and for health care workers or others who might come in contact with blood. For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/travel/eafrica.htm.

General Availability of Healthcare

Pharmacists in Kenya -- especially in the big cities and tourist destinations -- are generally well trained and can prescribe remedies for common complaints like diarrhea or surface cuts. They should be able to recommend a doctor for more serious complaints. Brand names for drugs may be different from those at home, so it's best to bring prescribed medication with you.

Contact the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT; tel. 716/754-4883, or 519/836-0102 in Canada; www.iamat.org) for tips on travel and health concerns in the countries you're visiting, and lists of local English-speaking doctors. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (tel. 877/394-8747; www.cdc.gov) provides up-to-date information on health hazards by region or country and offers tips on food safety. The World Health Organization (www.who.int/en) is also a good source of information.

Common Ailments

Drink only bottled water, and stay away from ice cubes unless you know what kind of water they were made from. Hot beverages are usually safe, although milk for tea and coffee is not usually pasteurized and should be boiled. Luxury hotels and most restaurants that cater to tourists take adequate precautions when preparing food, but if you're in a cheaper establishment be wary of fresh, washed leafy vegetables and fresh fruit juices.

Sun & Heat -- It's essential to protect yourself from the sun while you're in Kenya, especially on the beach and during long, hot days on safari. Even in the rainy seasons, when it's overcast and cool, you can get sunburnt as Kenya straddles the equator and the sun is strong year-round. Slap on high-protection sun cream and wear a hat. When swimming or snorkeling, consider wearing a t-shirt to protect your back. There is also a risk of heatstroke, so to avoid dehydration drink lots of fluids throughout the day.

Bugs -- Mosquitoes in Kenya can be annoyingly persistent, and there is the risk of contracting malaria, which can start with symptoms similar to extreme flu: dizziness, lethargy, fever, and headaches. If you feel any of these within 3 months of visiting Kenya, seek medical attention and take a malaria test. Before traveling to Kenya, it is essential for your doctor to prescribe malaria prophylactics, and you must take these for the required duration to cover your vacation. It's best to avoid mosquitoes as much as possible so bring along plenty of insect repellent, wear long-sleeved shirts and long trousers for evenings outdoors, and sleep under a mosquito net. In deserts and rural areas, watch out for scorpions and snakes.

Rabies -- Avoid touching any animals. If you are bitten by a domestic or wild animal, clean the wound immediately and seek medical treatment. This involves taking a vaccine and the dose depends on if you have already been vaccinated against rabies -- not necessary for a one-off visit, but it should be considered for lengthy stays in developing countries.

Other Health Considerations -- Don't swim in stagnant fresh water or walk barefoot on mud or wet grass because of the tiny bilharzia worm (schistosomiasis), which can dig its way through your skin and breed in your blood vessels. HIV/AIDS is highly prevalent in Kenya, so practice safe sex or abstain.

What to Do if You Get Sick Away from Home

In the cities and towns, your hotel will be able to recommend a local doctor or hospital. Nairobi in particular has good medical facilities. Expect to pay for any medical services up-front or immediately after treatment; if you have international medical insurance, keep the receipts so your company can reimburse you. However, if you become seriously ill and require advanced medical attention or surgery, you should definitely fly home, since local equipment and training standards are still far below those in the West. Your travel insurance should include repatriation to your home country in an emergency. If you are traveling in remote regions or are on safari in the parks, you might be a long way from the nearest doctor. Within Kenya and based at Nairobi's Wilson Airport, the Flying Doctors Society of Africa (www.amref.org) provides evacuation from remote areas to the nearest hospital. You may want to consider a temporary membership if you are going off the beaten track.

Staying Safe

For more safety tips, download the U.S. Department of State's pamphlet "Tips for Travelers Abroad" at http://travel.state.gov.

Terrorism -- Kenya has been a victim of two major terror attacks linked to al-Qaeda in recent years. The first was a devastating bomb in 1998 outside the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, which killed 213 people. This attack was followed by a suicide bomb in 2002 at a Mombasa hotel where 16 people were killed, and a simultaneous missile attack on an Israeli passenger plane as it was taking off from Mombasa Airport. (Fortunately, the missile missed its target.) These events caused tourism to take a dive in Kenya, and after the attacks the U.S. State Department immediately warned Americans against non-essential travel to Kenya. After the 2002 attack, the British Department of Transport temporarily banned all British-registered aircraft from flying to Kenya. Today, although there is no immediate risk of terrorism, the U.S. State Department continues to advise travelers from the U.S. to remain vigilant in Kenya. For up-to-date information, contact the State Department at tel. 202/501-4444 or visit www.state.gov/travelandbusiness. Travelers are particularly not advised to visit northern Kenya because of unrest along the border with Somalia and Sudan.

Theft -- Mugging, and in some cases carjacking, can be a problem in Kenya, especially in Nairobi and Mombasa. Always exercise caution; Utilize your hotel's safe, don't carry valuables with you in busy downtown streets, avoid poorly lit and abandoned areas at night, and don't trust strangers with suspicious requests. When driving, never leave visible items in a parked car and drive with windows up and doors locked.

Drugs -- While cocaine, heroin, and marijuana are present in Kenya, drug use is illegal and anyone caught with just a few ounces faces prison time and hefty fines. Foreigners receive no special treatment in this area and your embassy is unlikely to be sympathetic.

Getting Out of Trouble -- If you are robbed, lose your passport, or get into any kind of trouble, contact the police and then your nearest embassy or consulate right away. The Kenyan police are responsible for investigating and prosecuting local crimes, and to make an insurance claim, you will need a police report. For anything more serious, embassy officials can provide some basic assistance, such as recommending an English-speaking attorney.