Health and Safety
Published April 14, 2022
Health and safety
Health and safety advice for travelling to Tanzania
Despite the range of ‘exotic’ diseases in Africa, most health problems experienced by travellers are actually preventable by engaging in good practices. Many of these relate to food and water consumption, so here are our tips:
Personal hygiene
- Wash your hands frequently, especially before eating.
- Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Use insect repellents that contain DEET (diethylmethyltoluamide), or other approved alternatives.
- Keep your feet both clean and dry, as this helps to prevent fungal and parasitic infections. Avoid going barefoot, even on beaches.
- In developing countries, drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes. If this is not possible, learn how to make water safer to drink.
- Avoid swimming in fresh waters, as they are home to many water-borne diseases.
- Use clean needles (never share!) for tattoos, body piercings or injections.
- Use condoms – avoid unprotected sex.
- As much as possible, avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. If you do need to touch them, wash your hands first.
- If you cough or sneeze, make sure you use a tissue to cover your mouth and nose you’re your sleeve, if no tissue is available, but not your hands). Dispose of the tissue properly afterwards.
- Avoid contact with people who are obviously sick.
- If you are sick yourself, stay in your hotel room and avoid close contact with others, as much as possible. Seek medical care.
Drinks
- Do not drink water from a standpipe or tap
- Despite the heat, do not accept the offer of ice cubes in your drink and avoid any home-made ice cream
- Never drink unpasteurized milk
Food
- Avoid street food bought from vendors on the street
- Reject any food which appears to be insufficiently cooked (meat or fist)
- Avoid any dairy products, unless you are sure they have been pasteurized.
- Avoid eating cooked food which is offered to you at room temperature
- All fruit and vegetables should be peeled and washed before being consumed
- Never eat bushmeat
Avoid contact with animals
- Resist the temptation to pet animals such as dogs, cats and monkeys – this helps avoid various infections and the danger of being bitten by a rabies-infected animal. (Consider getting anti-rabies protection in advance, if you will be spending time in rural areas)
- Avoid any place where live poultry is displayed, raised, or kept (eg farms, markets etc)
- Avoid putting your face close to the face of animals, to avoid being bitten
- Rabies can be fatal. Treatment must be administered without any delay and may not be available in rural or remote areas.
Packing and clothing
- Wear long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, and appropriate headgear when outdoors.
- Choose lightweight clothes, which should also be loose-fitting to allow air to circulate
Medication
- Take your malaria prevention medication before, during, and after travel, as instructed by your medical practitioner.
- Talk to your doctor about taking any prescription drugs with you on your trip. (You may also want to pack some over-the-counter drugs, such as painkillers).
- Take sufficient insect repellent
- Bring with you a basic first aid kit, and consider learning basic first aid and CPR before your trip.
- Bring sufficient sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Bring protective clothing, bearing in mind you need to protect your head and neck. Avoid exposure to the sun during the hottest part of the day (generally between 10.00 and 16.00 hours).
Keep yourself safe in and around water
- Swim only in areas designated as safe.
- Pay attention to the instructions of lifeguards and heed any warning flags on beaches.
- If using boats, follow all safety instructions and wear a life jacket at all times.
- Check the depth of the water before diving or jumping. Never dive into shallow water.
- Never swim in fresh water where nearby sanitation is poor.
- Try to avoid swallowing any water when swimming, as it can carry germs and diseases.
- Avoid walking barefoot on beaches, as animal waste may be present, and this can carry infection.
Look after your own safety and security
Tanzania is a safe destination, but there are certain sensible precautions you can take to minimise the risks – risks which you encounter anywhere in the world, including in your own country.
- Don’t make yourself an easy target! Leave any high-value, irreplaceable items safely at home. (Ask yourself: do you really need to bring that priceless diamond necklace with you on safari, or up Kilimanjaro?)
- Before you leave home, spend some time researching the local culture, customs and laws that you will find in Tanzania. And then abide by and respect them when you arrive!
- Photocopy your passport and e-mail yourself a copy, so you can access it on your phone. Also leave a copy of it with someone at home, together with a copy of your itinerary, contact information and details of your credit cards.
- Bring with you the contact details of your home country’s embassy or consulate in Tanzania (or in the nearest neighbouring country, if there’s none in Tanzania)
- On arrival, get your hotel to photocopy the photograph page and entry stamp page of your passport and then carry these copies with you, leaving your actual passport in the hotel room safe.
- When outside, do not wear expensive (or expensive-looking!) clothing or jewellery and do not flaunt your money.
- Ensure you always lock your hotel room and leave valuable items in the room safe or hotel safe.
Is there Ebola in Tanzania
Tanzania is a safe destination, but there are certain sensible precautions you can take to minimise the risks – risks which you encounter anywhere in the world, including in your own country.
Ebola has hit the headlines in recent years after a large number of cases in West Africa. However, remember that Tanzania is in East Africa and many hundreds of miles away from the countries which have experienced significant outbreaks. There has been no evidence of ongoing active transmission of Ebola in Tanzania.
