Websites Urged To Give Malaria Warning

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Websites Urged To Give Malaria Warning

Travel websites offering last-minute deals should give "explicit" warnings on the risk of malaria, say specialist doctors.
Holidaymakers who book late bargains can find they have no time to organise malaria prevention tablets or seek the right advice, they said in a letter to the British Medical Journal.

The specialists in infectious diseases from James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough told of three Britons who recently returned from Gambia, all of whom had booked their holiday through the same travel website and not looked for proper medical advice before travelling.

This meant none of them had any tablets that would help prevent malaria and, as a result, all three contracted severe malaria and were admitted to hospital within two weeks of returning home.

"Imported cases of malaria are relatively common in the UK, mostly from West Africa, with a considerable proportion occurring in holidaymakers.

"The Gambia is a popular winter sun destination for UK travellers. Malaria is highly endemic there and is a risk to travellers throughout the year," John Widdrington's team wrote.

"This risk could be avoided by taking appropriate chemoprophylaxis tablets and taking action to cover up or use sprays and creams to avoid bites.

"The increasing use of websites to make late holiday bookings can make it more difficult to organise medical advice and malaria chemoprophylaxis.

"In addition, many travel websites and holiday brochures, including the website used by our patients, make no specific reference to the risk of contracting malaria.

"Travel websites need to include explicit messages about taking medical advice and effective chemoprophylaxis before travelling to malaria endemic areas.

"Advice on allowing sufficient time to organise this might reduce the particular risk to people making late bookings."

The Association of British Travel Agents told Sky News Online: Most often travel websites do have information on their website about what travellers need to do to protect themselves before they go away.

"Sometimes the issue of booking late means that travellers do not read everything on websites. Similarly airline websites do not carry this type of information.

"It is not only obligatory for Abta members to make their clients aware of compulsory vaccinations (malaria tablets are never compulsory) but also to advise them to see medical advice.

Abta members are not medical professionals, and as travel health advice can change, it is best for travellers to seek advice from a medical professional ideally 6-8 weeks before they go. Malaria tablets can in fact be taken just one day before someone departs.

The FCO website also always carries country specific information including medical advice.

Source: Sky News