Vaccinations

Before  traveling to Tanzania, Kenya, or Uganda, you should visit the  International Vaccination Center in your city of residence or consult  with the appropriate foreign health authorities. There, travelers will  be fully informed about the vaccinations and precautions required for  their intended trip. This is also where they will receive the  corresponding prescriptions to purchase medications. The vaccination  center must be visited at least 15 days before travel, as vaccines and  prophylactics require prior administration to be effective.

Malaria prophylaxis:  Malaria is a very common disease in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda (the  incidence rate is higher in the latter than in the others). If you are  careful to wear long sleeves and pants at night and use a mosquito net  properly, it is difficult to contract during the dry season, when  mosquitoes are almost nonexistent. However, if your trip is during the  wet season, an antimalarial should be a must in your first-aid kit.

Malaria  is transmitted through the bite of the Anopheles mosquito. Fortunately,  these mosquitoes only attack at night, so you won't have to worry about  them during the day.

There  is no vaccine for malaria, and anti-malarials are the only protection.  These medications are the antibiotics used to treat malaria once the  disease has been contracted, but, taken in smaller doses, they can  prevent infection if bitten by an infected mosquito.

It's important to be aware of the side effects of these medications, as some can even ruin your trip.

Tanzania Vaccination Information:

>Mandatory vaccinations:  Yellow Fever (A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for  travelers from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission, even  if you fly or have a stopover in these countries, if the stopover is longer than 12 hours). It is important to keep in mind that this vaccine  may cause mild fever in the days following its administration.

>Recommended vaccinations:  diphtheria-tetanus-poliomyelitis (DTP), tuberculosis, and rabies, as  well as rubella, mumps, and measles vaccines for children. Vaccinations  against typhoid fever, hepatitis A and B, and bacterial meningitis A + C  + Y + W135 are also recommended.  

>>>MORE ON YELLOW FEVER:

Do I need a yellow fever vaccination for Tanzania?

Great news: for the vast majority of travelers to this beautiful country, you do not need this vaccine! According  to the World Health Organization’s classification,  Tanzania currently  poses a low risk of yellow fever. If you reside in a   country with no risk of yellow fever, then you do not need the yellow   fever vaccine as part of your necessary travel vaccinations. 

What is yellow fever?

Yellow fever  is a viral disease spread through mosquito bites. Symptoms of yellow   fever typically take 3 to 6 days to develop and can include fever,   chills, headache and muscle aches. Yellow Fever is serious, with around  15% of people who get yellow fever develop a serious or   life-threatening illness. As Tanzania is safe from yellow fever, if you  are directly traveling from Europe or  the United States, there are no  yellow fever vaccine  requirements.
 

Tanzania yellow fever requirements

Proof  of yellow fever vaccination is only required upon arrival if you  are traveling from a country with a risk of the virus. This list    currently    does not include any country in Europe and the United  States. An important note, however. If you’re transiting through one of  the yellow  fever high-risk countries for a period of 12 hours or  more you will be required to receive the yellow fever vaccination. If  this is the case on your trip to Tanzania, we strongly advise seeing  your doctor and checking your Tanzania vaccination requirements with  a healthcare professional before traveling.

Receiving the yellow fever vaccination

The  yellow fever vaccination is given as a  single dose and should be   administered at least 10 days before  entering a high-risk yellow   fever country. A single dose is capable  of providing life protection   against the yellow fever virus so make sure you receive proof of   vaccination from your doctor or health professional. If you  are required  to receive a yellow fever vaccine  before traveling, you  will  also  need to show your proof of vaccination upon arrival in  Tanzania. 

Should   your doctor recommend against the vaccine due to underlying   health issues or other health-related factors, you can still travel to   Tanzania with an official letter from the doctor. Showing it to the immigration officer upon arrival would waive the requirement, and your trip will go on as planned.

Kenya Vaccination Information:

>Mandatory vaccinations:   Yellow Fever (A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for  travelers from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission, even  if you fly or have a stopover in these countries, if the stopover is  longer than 12 hours). It is important to keep in mind that this vaccine  may cause mild fever in the days following its administration.

>Recommended vaccinations:  Yellow fever, diphtheria-tetanus-poliomyelitis (DTP), tuberculosis, and  rabies, as well as rubella, mumps, and measles vaccinations for  children. Vaccinations against typhoid fever, hepatitis A and B, and  bacterial meningitis A + C + Y + W135 are also recommended.  

Uganda Vaccination Information:

>Mandatory vaccinations: Yellow Fever. It's important to note that this vaccine can cause mild fever in the days following administration.

>Recommended vaccinations:  diphtheria-tetanus-poliomyelitis (DTP), tuberculosis, and rabies, as  well as rubella, mumps, and measles vaccines for children. Vaccinations  against typhoid fever, hepatitis A and B, and bacterial meningitis A + C  + Y + W135 are also recommended.