Zimbabwe Health & Vaccinations
Malaria and Yellow Fever
Zimbabwe Health Information
Health care services in Zimbabwe are few and not of good quality, and in the rare case of an emergency, travellers are usually evacuated to South Africa, where facilities are excellent. It is therefore imperative that you be prepared with all the necessary medications you may need during your travels. Make sure you have the latest safety tips from the establishment where you will be staying, and take common sense precautions as you would when travelling elsewhere. Avoid drinking tap water that has not been boiled or disinfected, eating produce that has not been peeled or cooked, and eating food from street vendors. Drink lots of water to avoid heat exhaustion or heat stroke, and make sure to always use insect repellent to avoid contracting insect-borne diseases.
As always, when travelling to any destination, please be sure you are up to date with all routine vaccinations. Commonly recommended vaccinations for travel to Africa include the following: Tetanus, Diphtheria, Polio, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Yellow Fever, Rabies, and Meningitis. Visit your doctor several weeks before your trip to ensure that you have all the vaccines and medications you need.
Malaria Recommendations for Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe as a whole lies in a moderate-risk zone for malaria, with peak season being from November to June in all areas below 1200 m and year-round risk in the Zambezi Valley. Risk in the cities of Harare and Buluwayo is slight. Therefore, it is recommended you consult your doctor to see whether you should take malaria prophylaxis before entering Zimbabwe. The course should start 24 hours before entering Zimbabwe and should be taken for 6 weeks after leaving the country.
Other prevention methods such as using mosquito repellent and sleeping under a mosquito net are also recommended.
Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements for Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe requires a valid yellow fever certificate from all foreign visitors and citizens over 1 year of age travelling from an infected area or having been in transit through infected areas (>12 hours). This rule applies to travellers from the following countries: Angola, Argentina, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Congo, Côte dʼIvoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Suriname, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, and Venezuela.
Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements for US Citizens
Health recommendation: There is no risk of yellow fever in Zimbabwe. The government of Zimbabwe requires proof of yellow fever vaccination only if you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever. This does not include the US.
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Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements for Indian Citizens
Citizens from India who are directly travelling to Zimbabwe and back do not require the yellow fever vaccination certificate.
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