Malaria Tablets
Do I need malaria tablets?
It depends entirely on where you are going — and often on which part of the country, and when. Here is the honest picture; your pharmacist maps your exact itinerary at the consultation.
| Traveller | Who should consider it | Doses & schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Advised Sub-Saharan Africa | Kenya, Tanzania, The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria and most of the region carry high year-round malaria risk — tablets are advised for nearly every itinerary, including beach stays. | Daily or weekly course, started before you enter the risk area. |
| Advised Visiting friends & family | Immunity from growing up in a malaria country fades within a year or two of living in the UK — VFR travellers account for most UK malaria cases. The whole family needs cover, children included. | Same course; children’s doses are weight-based. |
| Consider Parts of Asia & Latin America | Risk is regional and seasonal — rural, forested and border areas may need tablets while big cities and many beach resorts do not. | We check your exact route against current risk maps. |
| Not usually needed Most city breaks & resort-only stays | Plenty of destinations — including most of Thailand’s and Vietnam’s tourist coast — need bite avoidance rather than tablets. If you don’t need them, we’ll say so plainly. | Repellent, covered skin, screened rooms and nets. |
Tablet prices are shown per tablet on the travel clinic price list — the total depends on your course length, which we confirm at the free consultation.
What is malaria?
Malaria is a parasitic infection spread by night-biting Anopheles mosquitoes. It begins like flu — fever, chills, sweats, headache and aching muscles — typically 7 to 18 days after an infective bite, though it can surface months later. Untreated, the most dangerous form can become life-threatening within days.
There is no travel vaccine against malaria: protection rests on two things done properly — antimalarial tablets matched to your destination, and rigorous bite avoidance from dusk onwards. Neither alone is enough in high-risk areas; together they are highly effective.
Risk is concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for the large majority of cases brought back to the UK, with regional and seasonal risk across parts of Asia, Latin America and the Pacific. The right choice of tablet varies by country and region — which is exactly what the consultation is for.
How malaria tablets work
Several prescription options exist — daily and weekly, adult and child. Your pharmacist chooses with you at the consultation, based on destination, medical history, trip length and budget.
| Option | Who should consider it | Doses & schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Daily tablets | The most commonly chosen options — one tablet a day, started 1–2 days before entering the risk area. | Daily during your stay, then for 1–4 weeks after leaving (varies by tablet). |
| Weekly tablets | One tablet a week — often practical for longer trips. Started 2–3 weeks before travel so suitability can be confirmed. | Weekly during your stay, then for 4 weeks after. |
| Children & pregnancy | Family-suitable options exist for most destinations; children’s doses are weight-based, and some tablets are unsuitable in pregnancy. | Confirmed at the consultation. |
Antimalarials are prescription-only medicines: they are prescribed and supplied following your pharmacist consultation, and a consultation may not always result in a supply. No tablet is 100% effective — bite avoidance always matters too.
How our travel clinic works
Book online in 2 minutes
Choose a time that suits you — same-week appointments are usually available, and families can be seen together in one visit.
Personalised risk assessment
Your pharmacist reviews your itinerary, health history and previous vaccinations against current UK travel health guidance, and agrees a plan with you.
Tablets supplied the same visit
Where clinically appropriate, your antimalarials are supplied on the spot with clear start, during and stop instructions written for your exact travel dates.
Where does malaria matter?
Malaria advice is built into every destination guide — check yours for the region-by-region picture:
Frequently asked questions
Do I need malaria tablets for my trip?
It depends on your destination, the regions within it, the season and what you’ll be doing. Sub-Saharan Africa is almost always a yes; much of Asia and Latin America is regional. Our pharmacist checks your exact itinerary against current UK risk maps at the free consultation — and tells you plainly if you don’t need tablets.
Which tablet will I be given?
There are several prescription options — daily and weekly — and the right one depends on your destination, medical history, other medicines and budget. That decision is made with you at the consultation, where the options and their pros and cons are explained. A consultation may not always result in a supply.
When do I need to start taking them?
Most daily options start 1–2 days before entering the malaria area; the weekly option starts 2–3 weeks before. All continue while you’re there and for a period after you leave — finishing the course matters as much as starting it.
What about side effects?
Each option has a different profile — some people prefer to avoid particular tablets, and some tablets aren’t suitable with certain conditions or medicines. This is exactly what the consultation weighs up, and alternatives exist for almost every traveller.
Can children and pregnant women take antimalarials?
Children can — doses are weight-based and some options are suitable from infancy. In pregnancy the choice is more restricted and destination-dependent, so mention it when booking. Bite avoidance matters doubly for both.
What if I get a fever after my trip?
Any fever within a year of visiting a malaria area — especially in the first 3 months — is a medical emergency until malaria is ruled out. Seek urgent medical help and say where you travelled, even if you took your tablets perfectly.
Rated by 1,200+ patients of our Camberley pharmacy and clinics.
GPhC registered pharmacy 1105418 · Superintendent pharmacist Jirina Thielens (GPhC 2069634).
This guide follows UK national travel health guidance (TravelHealthPro / NHS) and was last reviewed in August 2026. Recommendations can change — your consultation always reflects the latest advice.
Malaria country on the itinerary? Get the right tablets.
Consultation, prescription and supply in one visit at our Camberley travel clinic — matched to your exact route and dates.
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