Singapore Expats

Hi all,

My parents arrive next week for 2 weeks.
We will go to Malaysia and maybe Cambodgia.
Could u tell me if it's possible to buy Malarone (anti-PALUDISME) in Singapore without going first to a doctor and what is the average cost.

thx
cheers

I have travelled to Malaysia and Cambodia and I didn't take any malarone with me - it is safe

have a lovely journey

Nicoletta

Not true, it depends which part of the countries you intend to visit;

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/regionalmalaria/seasia.htm

Extracted from above link;

Most travelers to Thailand are not at risk for malaria and do not need to take an antimalarial drug. Travelers to the border areas of Cambodia, Laos, and Burma should take an antimalarial drug.


Travelers to malaria-risk areas in Indonesia, East Timor, Laos, Malaysia, and Vietnam should take atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, (or primaquine in special circumstances).


UK doctors advise anti-malaria medication for visits to the rural areas of Malaysia and Thailand - malaria is still there and you are still at risk!

Last I heard was a strain of malaria on the Laos/Cambodia border had become resistant to tablets and required an injection.

I would strongly recommend it. Not taking it may mean the difference between having fond memories of your trip and horrendous nightmares about your trip.

Better safe than sorry. Just because one person got lucky doesn't mean you will.

sms

Ah, malaria...

Always good for discussions on forums around the world.

Malarone is said to be more "friendly" to the body system than other profylaxes like Larium for example. Therefore, if taking profylaxe, it is a better choice.

Be aware though that malarone has been around for quite a while now and that research has shwon that quite a few, if not most, if not all mozzies in malaria infested areas are now resistent to the drug.

On top of that, the way profylaxe works is that by taking the daily or weekly dosis, you just add it to your system.

The idea is to reduce the chances of getting it, but in fact it doesnot minimalise in any way the chances to zero, you are still just as susceptible
as when not taking it.

Whenever you would be diganosed with malaria, your treatment will still be the same: huge amounts of profylaxe will be given to you to suppress the malaria.

The thing is that even "friendly" malerone has a lot of quite unpleasant side effects, such as severe headache, hallucination, anxiety etc.

So when knowing it doesnot prevent malaria, it doesnot heal malaria and it causes quite some stress and physical malheur and at the end of the day it therefore makes no positive difference, what its the use?

Better prevent from being bitten: at dusk, between 5.30 and 7.30pm in the tropics, wear long sleeves shirt and long pants, use DEET repellent on bare bodyparts, and if possible stay away from mosquito infected areas.

Profylaxe only suits the pharmaceutical company and the pahrmacy, not yourself.