Gearing up for travel

So you want to go to Ghana.

Well it's not that easy.

First you must ensure that you receive the proper vaccinations. These include:

Hep A x2

Hep B x2

MMR x2 (in the US this is what must be presented to colleges and universities prior to enrollment)

Tetanus (these vaccinations also carry protection against diphtheria and pertussis)

Meningitis

Polio

Yellow Fever

Typhoid Fever

This part of Africa is know as the Meningitis Belt, and the risk is much higher in northern Ghana, however, one must still be cautious.

Yellow fever is a real danger and so is malaria, which to prevent one must take an anti-malarial or antibiotics such as doxycycline (which I have chosen). Doxycycline also protects against traveler's diarrhea and other food/water borne illnesses that may potentially arise.

Typhoid fever is also an important vaccination to receive prior to travel. One can get a vaccination with a needle containing a dead bacterium that lasts 2 years or a live bacterium in pill form that must be taken every other day for just over a week. The latter variant will protect the host for 5 years. And they cost about the same in price. I went for the 5 year plan of course!

Ghana is a fairly developed country comparatively to other parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Our current president in fact nearly a year ago made his first official visit to this part of Africa and specifically went to Ghana.

Visas are issued in order to visit Ghana and can be applied for via the Consular Section in Washington, DC. Proof of vaccination for yellow fever must be presented also to enter the country. An international certificate of vaccination or prophylaxis from the CDC is approved by the WHO and is an accepted means to demonstrate vaccination.

All of this disease talk might make people nervous and even myself. This extended review of the vaccination process was not intended to make anybody uneasy or deter one from visiting this part or other parts of Africa. It's more related to the fact that I study diseases in antiquity and I find it rather interesting.

So I got my shots and my visa. I'm just about going, going, Ghana!