Malaria medication for Namibia

Hi, I’m planning a trip to Namibia for 3 weeks in November: should I take malaria prophylaxis, which medication, when to take it, and are there any side effects? At the end of my trip, I’ll spend 5 days up north near the Angolan border and in Etosha National Park. Thanks for sharing your travel tips and advice! Martine

Hi Martine,

Since I’m not a doctor, I’m not qualified to give health-related advice (especially for such a serious illness). However, I can recommend that you carefully read the advice written by our consular services for this country: you can find it here...

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/information-par-pays/namibie/conseils-aux-voyageurs-sante

I’ve been to this country four times—I loved it. Best, Puma2A

Great trip! The Pasteur Institute is also there to answer your questions: https://www.pasteur.fr/en/medical-center/prepare-your-trip/namibia

Hi there,

Do you take antimalarials when you're in Gambia, which is a higher-risk area? Will you be camping or staying in lodges? In November, you’ll be there before the rainy season, so there’ll be fewer mosquitoes. But if you could start in the north, that’d be even better. Even though the most common medications usually don’t have side effects, for a few days, wearing covering clothes and using repellent should be enough. This is just a tip from a traveler who, in that part of the world, only takes Malarone in Zambia, northern Mozambique, and Malawi. But everyone assesses the risk differently...

Hello, I’m planning a trip to Namibia for three weeks in November: should I protect myself against malaria, which medication should I take, when should I start taking it, and are there any side effects? At the end of my trip, I’ll spend 5 days in the north near the Angolan border and in Etosha National Park. Thanks for any travel tips and advice! Martine

Hi, I’m a healthcare professional and I know Namibia well. I’m heading back there in a few weeks for the fourth time. The French High Council for Public Health publishes annual travel recommendations, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs then adopts. Ignore the Pasteur Institute’s advice.

Here’s what the 2026 update says, which you can read in full at the following link: https://www.hcsp.fr/explore.cgi/avisrapportsdomaine?clefr=1528

Malaria and prevention measures: Key points Malaria during travel Any trip to a malaria-risk area exposes you to the disease during your stay and up to 3 months after returning (excluding relapses). Malaria can be serious or even fatal, especially from *Plasmodium falciparum*, and requires appropriate prevention based on the risk level. Risk areas (see table 16) The main malaria-risk zone is sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa (except the eastern and northeastern border areas, including Kruger Park), Lesotho, southern Namibia, and Botswana.

Translation based on my experience: The malaria risk in Namibia is extremely low—even nonexistent—during the dry season due to the lack of mosquitoes. However, during the wet season and/or in the Caprivi Strip, there’s a seasonal or moderate risk. In such cases, using mosquito repellent (check the same recommendations for which products to use?) is sufficient and doesn’t require antimalarials. Note: this isn’t a prescription but an informed opinion, not a definitive one.

Namibia is a very safe country health-wise. Very safe doesn’t mean zero risk. Safe travels! Loïc

Hi Loic,

I completely agree with your response—it’s both serious and pragmatic—except when it comes to the Pasteur Institute, which remains one of the references.

I know Namibia well, and the risks are indeed limited (rainy season and the northern region).

Personally, I haven’t been able to tolerate antimalarials for about ten years now. I had to stop preventive treatment after a maximum of 8 days. So, I opt for protective measures, especially soaking our clothes in Insect Ecran solution (which seems effective against flies too!). But I still bring atovaquone-proguanil just in case, for curative use. After all, this preventive treatment can also serve as a curative one "just in case."

It’s highly recommended to use local mosquito repellent products (available in supermarkets, like at Spar), such as Peaceful Sleep, in spray or cream form. Finally, it seems you should avoid wearing dark colors, as they attract mosquitoes! (This is true here too.)

Best regards,

Hi Chris,

Without any controversy and because only travelers' safety matters, I confirm that I don’t use the Institut Pasteur (IP) website. Far be it from me to disparage my colleagues at this prestigious institution. The most important thing in preventing infectious diseases is how quickly knowledge is updated. We’ve just seen this with the Ebola epidemic in the DRC and a bit in Uganda. Where the IP website falls short is in its slow updates. For the DRC fact sheet, the last update was on... Last updated January 30, 2024.

https://www.pasteur.fr/fr/centre-medical/preparer-son-voyage/republique-democratique-du-congo When I teach at the medical school, I always emphasize this crucial point: the need to keep epidemiological data up to date, as it changes daily. The work of the Haut Conseil de Santé Publique is updated at least once a year, which is the bare minimum when health risks emerge or evolve. Don’t hesitate to look for updated info online, but don’t fall into paranoia that would make travel impossible. Looking forward to exchanging more.

Hi there,

My practical travel tips were mainly aimed at Martine, who started this thread.

For the rest, I’m somewhat in the loop, as I also work in a medical environment. Another one of our references is the BEH.

Have a great day,

Hi there, before heading to Namibia, we saw an epidemiologist who advised taking anti-malaria treatment (a cheaper Malarone substitute) since we were going to the Caprivi Strip. It was the dry season, but the treatment didn’t cause us any issues, and it’s not very expensive, so we don’t regret taking it—we finish the treatment tomorrow. We started it one day before entering Etosha, took it throughout our time in Etosha and Caprivi, and then for another 5 days after leaving.

Hello, Yes, indeed, that’s the usual dosage, and you’ve been given good advice.

It’s Atovaquone Proguanil, the generic version of Malarone, which has been on the market for several years now. It’s recommended to take it with dinner and, if possible, with fatty foods (as advised by specialists for this molecule).

Unfortunately, after many trips to high-risk countries, my body no longer tolerates this treatment, so I’ve had to find other strategies, which I mentioned earlier. I still bring this medication along to use as a curative measure in case of an emergency (the dosage is completely different in that case).

Best regards,