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I don't know the area well enough to suggest a pharmacy there, Wilmaw. However, Malarone is only on prescription in SA, so the options will be either a pharmacy that will assist with a few tablets without your friends having a script (there are ways they can do this without breaking the law) or to find a dispensing doctor that has the tablet in stock.

If they haven't started the Malarone course as yet, then another antimalarial may be an option, although it will also be on prescription only. One must also remember that this time of the year is still officially a low-risk antimalarial time (high risk officially begins at the beginning of October), so they might consider not using antimalarial tablets and perhaps only diligently-applied non-drug measures; although it must be said that one cannot rule out risk of contracting malaria altogether, and so the decision to use tablets or not is their choice alone.

If I was them, I would ask the local staff at Punda (ranger, shop manager, reception people, etc.) what they suggest, and where the nearest pharmacy or doctor is located.

Hope they come right.

Disclaimer: My recommendations here - though based on some experience and some drug knowledge - are not absolute, and further consultation with suitable health-care professionals is suggested before a final decision is taken on whether to enter a malarial area, what prophylaxis to use, and any general factors and limitations that need to be taken into account. Furthermore, I only advise based on what information is given by the person(s) entering the malarial area, but I have no control on the information given to me, and so such information could possibly be incomplete or misleading.

wilmaw, I think you should make contact with a chemist where they would be able to collect the meds from. Possibly Phalaborwa would be your best bet. Explain the situation, I'm sure there is a way the prescription could be filled in for them. They might require their doctor or chemist from Holland to email or fax the original prescription.

I'm sure they would understand and do all they can to help.
We once went on holiday and I left all SO's prescription meds behind. I had a quick chat with the local chemist after a call to my doctor, chiff-chaff, I walked out with all I needed.

Hello forumites, my adult son is epileptic and we plan to take him to Kruger next February, however, I've always read that people taking anti-convulsants can't take anti-malaria meds. Obviously the risk of contracting malaria in the summer is much higher so am therefore worried. Would be interested to hear from any other forumites who have this same condition and what they do in this case.

Thanks very much

Sorry to hear about the luggage problems; hope it all get's resolved quickly & smoothly...

As for the Malarone; there's a very good lesson to be learned here...

We NEVER pack prescription medicines in check-in baggage. ALL such items come on-board with us in hand-luggage! Too late now for this case; but hopefully anybody who reads the thread will take note...

Cheers...

PS: I only looked at the thread because we've just picked our Malarone scrip up - astronomical price Still - on the up side - just 5 weeks to go...

Thank you everyone!

When I called they were in a town "80km from the gate" which I assume must be Giyani. It seems they found a doctor there.

I am always in 2 minds about taking pills in the "low season" especially since trips are sometimes for 2 days only... it's like insurance or medical aid contributions - you must maar take it because if you don't and you should have, you'll regret it.

Malaria is too scary to mess around with so my motto to others is also "rather safe than sorry". It is the biggest killer in Africa after all.

FRUITBAT I am sure OWN will offer you some good advice soon but the only other suggestion I could give would be to consult with your doctor on this issue.

Thanks OWN. I phoned them and the line wasn't 100% but sounds like they found a doctor 80km from the gate which I assume is Giyani... Fortunately they seem to have enough pills to last them until they are closer to Phalaborwa in 3 days' time (Letaba).


I have wondered about this in the past because I myself once obtained it without prescription and I thought maybe I was wrong about the prescription thing... can you elaborate on the "ways they can do this", enlighten us all?

I usually advise overseas visitors to get their stock of pills before they arrive in SA since you have to start taking them before you enter the malaria area anyway, but for the odd situation like this one it will be good to know how it works.

There may be a few pharmacies that may give pills without a script, but this is not correct according to the law. However, if you already have a doctor you know, and you inform him of the situation, he may (at his discretion) choose to prescribe pills for you. Many pharmacies will accept a faxed prescription from the doctor's rooms for antimalarials. Others will accept a telephonic script from the doctor, usually with the assertion that the doctor follows up with a faxed script later. Understand, though, that telephonic/faxed scripts are only dispensed if the pharmacist chooses to accept this method (he cannot be forced), as an original script in the hand is first prize. However, with the growing methods of telecommunications, faxes have become more acceptable, depending also on the schedule of the medicine.

Hope that gives you some guidance, Wilmaw?


Disclaimer: My recommendations here - though based on some experience and some drug knowledge - are not absolute, and further consultation with suitable health-care professionals is suggested before a final decision is taken on whether to enter a malarial area, what prophylaxis to use, and any general factors and limitations that need to be taken into account. Furthermore, I only advise based on what information is given by the person(s) entering the malarial area, but I have no control on the information given to me, and so such information could possibly be incomplete or misleading.

Yes.. thanks.

Wilmaw, if your friends are still in Punda, please see a PM from me to you with a message from the Hospitality Manager there.

Hi OWN, please can you give me some advice with regards to my recent query :
Thanks very much

Hi Fruitbat. Sorry I missed your earlier query.

It very much depends on what medicines he is on. Please send me a pm, telling me how old he is, where you will be staying and for how long, all the chronic meds he takes and their dosages, and I'll advise from there. Summer is indeed considered a high risk area in Kruger, so we need to find a way forward.

Remember too that epileptics may also have other triggers (e.g. heat), so don't forget to look at everything holistically.

Thanks very much for your reply OWN, I have pm'd you.

I would like to find out if there is a higher risk in some area in the Kruger compare to others? For instance Punda Maria camp compare to Skukuza?

We are visiting the park in mid October 2011. We have never taken anti malaria meds when visiting, just preventative measures. I'm currently pregnant and would like to know if it will help if we stayed more south than north??