HI
Can anyone help with this or has someone had experience.

We are planning a trip to South Africa in May. We need to buy some more anti-Malaria Tablets. We got some when were were back in the UK but not enough. We are spending more time in a Malaria risk zone than we thought.

We need about 36 more tablets.

We have got some Malarone. To buy some more do we:

Go to any pharmacy or do we need a prescription first. Is this the most expensive way. Any idea of costs

Any pharmacy chain better or cheaper

Any online suppliers in Switzerland?

I can get them on line from the UK (36 tablets for about £100 inc postage) but i am worried about customs charges and possibly more tax being added on.

Not sure which way is best so i thought i would ask the question on Eng Forum (the font of all knowledge!!).

Many thanks in advance for any help or advice

I think you need a prescription for Malarone - we just got one for our holiday to Borneo.

I was told that the pharmacy price was something like 68CHF for a pack of 12 tablets.....have yet to fill my prescription so can't confirm that though.

Why don't you just buy some more when you get there? It'll be much cheaper and you can be sure they'll have some in stock.

How much was the prescription? Do you just make an appointment with the local doctor, go along, say we are going to SA and need some Malarone and he / she writes a prescription?

...and the local variants are much more effective. Malarial prophylaxis is hit and miss when administered from the point of departure. Trust the local supplies.

Also, the locals would not take any medication in any areas equal to or below intermediate risk. Very few areas in South Africa require malaria drugs. I lived there for 13 years, travelled all over and never met anyone who took the stuff. If in doubt, start drinking lots and lots of rum. Mossies hate the stuff. Gin and Tonics are a much safer gentler option. An awful lot of truth to that legend.

http://www.sa-venues.com/malaria-risk-areas.htm

Just get some good mosquito repellent.The spray on type.
Apply to all exposed skin before dusk.
Also sleep under a mosquito net.
I went to Zimbabwe for a week and this is all I did and was fine.
Cheryl Cole from X-FACTOR took the tablets and she still got malaria so
not so sure how effective those tablets are.
Also you can burn some citronella incense or use the plug in mosquito repellent pads at night.

I am South African by the way.It's mostly malaria free but better safe than sorry.Prevention better than cure.
Also the risk in winter is less than summer as far less mosquitos.

Unless you really plan to go to the wetlands were there might be slightly higher risk of malaria, I don't see the reason. I took it once or twice on my first visits to Mozambique and St Lucia/Cape Vidal in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Then there wasn't even such requirement anymore.

Two years ago in summer time I went to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe which according to the charts is a high risk zone. Didn't contract malaria either.

You better ask the local doctors but as far as I know, most of KZN doesn't require such. If you just simply plan go go to the coast, it is needless. But then again if you want to be sure 100%, go to the local pharmacy..