BY Dr Lerato Masemola
Everyone who knows me knows how much I love to travel. I am also known as the one who chooses to xplore the adventurous side of travel at the slightest provocation – such as summitting Mt Kilimanjaro, while others choose beach bumming, sea cruising, city slicking, or chasing sunset with Pumba and Simba in the jungle.
Since May marks Africa Month, I thought I’d share my experiences from the few African countries I’ve had the opportunity to visit by answering some frequently asked questions.
1. You’ve travelled across Africa, how many countries have you been to?
I’ve been to nine African countries. My first cross-border experience was when I was about 9-10 years old. It was a family holiday to visit my aunt’s in-laws in Swaziland. It was a short trip. We were there for a few days, en route to Durban. And so, I keep thinking I should return to xplore the country.
I have been to Lesotho a few times. The last time was to a ski resort where I experienced skiing for the first time. Staying with our neighbours, I have also taken a Lovelee road trip to Mozambique on another family holiday with my parents and siblings
2. What was your experience of traveling across Africa when compared to Europe or the Americas?
Each country I’ve visited on our continent always feels like home. The first time I went to Zambia I was visiting a friend and her family. I was fascinated that I could follow their conversations due to similarities between Sepedi, my mother tongue, and the Lozi language. I instantly felt at home and had never felt like this outside of Africa.
But the obvious and glaring differences are mostly related to infrastructure. Outside South Africa, the African countries I have been to are not as developed. I am not comparing how built up or how modern or high or big the buildings are, I’m referring to the quality of the buildings. In some areas the lack of maintenance of their infrastructure. Some buildings look like they could fall at any moment. I am not one for over-modernisation, taking down trees and buildings that sprout everywhere as I am cognisant of the negative environmental impact. Personally, I enjoy natural, open spaces.
3. Malaria is still prevalent in most African countries. What did you do to prevent getting it during your visits?
There are medicines that can (should) be taken to prevent getting malaria should you be bitten by mosquitos carrying it. That is what I normally take when I travel to Malaria risky places, which includes the most northern parts of KZN that are closest to Mozambique. The prophylactic meds are taken before travel, during, and for some time after one’s return.
All the places I have been to had nets over the beds and I always made use of those when I go to sleep. I would also spray the necessary insecticides in the room and apply mosquito repellents to my skin. It is advisable to wear clothing that covers most of the skin when outside. But this always proved to be a challenge due to heat. So I just kept reapplying repellent during the day.
4. Who can get malaria and is it always transmitted by mosquitos?
Anyone who gets exposed to the Plasmodium parasites that cause Malaria illness can fall sick from it. Some people have developed immunity to it due to over or persistent exposure. These are usually people in the Malaria endemic areas. Their bodies have strong antibody responses to the parasite so their bodies fight it before it causes them problems. This is not the norm, and people who are not from those areas should not assume they might have immunity and take a chance, but should rather take prophylaxis.
5. Let’s say you’ve contracted it. Is it easy to diagnose and treat?
If you have recently travelled to a Malaria risky area, it is wise to have a high level of suspicion for it if you fall sick any time after you return. If you don’t mention to your doctor or any healthcare practitioner that you had travelled to such areas it can be missed as it presents with similar symptoms to flu-like viral infections. These are general malaise or feeling uncomfortable and fatigued; high fever and chills; general body pains (muscles or joints); headache and dizziness; abdominal symptoms with pain, cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, shortness of breath and breathing fast with or without coughing and fast heart rate/palpitations.
Symptoms typically start within 1-4 weeks after being bitten by an infected mosquito. But, some types of malaria parasites can lie dormant in your body for up to a year. So, it is important to mention any relevant travel history always or it may be missed.
Treatment is usually very effective if caught early. It can take anything from 3 days to a week to get back to normal. In highly endemic areas there are rapid malaria testing kits available at chemists along with medication over the counter. But it is always advisable to see a doctor first if possible.
6. What other illnesses should one try to prevent before going on holiday in some countries on the continent?
Apart from malaria, extra precautions should be taken when travelling to certain countries where there is Yellow fever (transmitted through mosquitos), Cholera (bacteria, via food and water), Typhoid (caused by salmonella bacteria, found in food); Hepatitis A (a virus, via food and water or close proximity with someone who is infected with it), Schistosomiasis (caused by parasitic flatworms called schistosomes – found in freshwater snails); Trypanosomiasis (transmitted by biting tsetse flies). These are the commonest one to look out for. There are many others including Ebola, Dengue fever. It is wise to vaccinate against the ones that have vaccines (Yellow fever, Typhoid, Hep A) and some countries will not allow you to visit if you don’t have proof of vaccination. If unsure of what to take for which country, please see your nearest travel clinic.
Sharing this preparation process to prevent disease is not meant to stigmatize/stereotype African travel, but to educate and share experiences so that those who wish to xplore outside the borders of Mzanzi into the rest of the continent can get an idea of what to expect once they decide to go out there.
I wish you all a Lovelee month of May where we celebrate all things African from food, culture, music, literature, fashion and travel. Not forgetting to also commemorate the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) on 25 May 1963, now known as the African Union (AU).
