When you go to volunteer in Africa you’ll need some vaccinations. Africa isn’t a particularly dangerous place  but diseases which have been wiped out or brought under control in a lot of countries can still be found and it is only sensible to protect yourself.

Which bug is where can change, and even within the same country certain areas are clear and others are considered at risk. How do you know? Simple. Ask your local medical practitioner which shots for Africa you need and, if in doubt, check with your embassy in the country you intend to travel to.

Some people, quite understandably, have concerns about the whole African immunisation issue. It would be a shame if it put people off because it’s really a simple matter. Get in touch with your local health professional six weeks or so before departure and everything will be fine.

It’s true that some people decide to travel without the proper vaccinations for Africa but we have to advise that this is a serious mistake.

The right jabs will take no more than a couple of hours of your time. If you catch any of Africa’s less pleasant diseases you will certainly end up being very sick indeed and some of them can threaten your life. Get a jab and you’ll be protected. Be safe and have fun!

So which African travel immunisations are recommended?

As we’ve said, you need to consult an appropriately qualified professional. Don’t take the word of people on the internet – however well intentioned – because information on a blog or web page can be out of date by the time you travel.

In general you will probably want shots for Tetanus, Tuberculosis, Polio, Cholera, Hepatitis A and B and Typhoid although you may have already been vaccinated against some of these. Always check though to be sure.

One well-known African disease that we haven’t mentioned so far is Malaria. Almost everyone has heard of it because it’s often featured in the movies! Well you’ll be pleased to know you don’t need a shot for this one, just some tablets. There are a number of these available and they have to be started some time before you travel in order to be effective.

Don’t be tempted to order online – although they may seem cheap. You never know what you are getting and some have been withdrawn from use because of side effects. Even among those still available, Larium has been associated with hallucinations and Doxycyclene has been reported to give bad sun reactions – not something you want in Africa! As always, discuss things with your medical practitioner.

Your African travel immunisations are important to your health so do you really want to take short cuts or cheap options? While we have a great deal of experience of Africa to share with you it means little in this case. Medical advances and changing conditions in the country you are traveling to mean you should always consult a suitably qualified professional.

African volunteer organizations want you fit and well so they can get the best out of you, and you can get the best from an incredible experience. The last thing you want is to be spending weeks in a sick bed – especially when your first objective as a volunteer might well have been to help other people in theirs!