Health travel advisory to Zambia

Zambia has a well set up public and private health sector that provides primary up to tertiary care. Travelers to Zambia can enjoy good quality of healthcare.

Medical Insurance

Travelers to Zambia are advised to use travel medical insurance to cater for their medical needs while in the country. All public and private hospitals accept most of the international insurance covers.

All services in the private sector are charged to the patients account but in case of emergency the patient is attended to at no cost in public hospitals.

Malaria

Travelers to Zambia coming from non-malaria endemic countries are advised to take malaria prophylaxis at least two (2) weeks before undertaking the trip. It is advisable to apply repellent especially in the evening when outdoors, and to sleep under an insecticide-treated net. Lusaka in particular has a very low incidence rate of Malaria. However, travelers are advised to take all precautions regarding Malaria even if they are expected to be in Lusaka only.

Ebola

Zambia has not recorded any case of Ebola, and is free from the disease. Travelers to Zambia from Ebola affected countries are requested to disclose this to port health at the point of entry so that they can be monitored while in the country. All travelers are screened for Ebola at the point of entry by port health.

Yellow Fever

Zambia is free of yellow fever and travelers from yellow fever countries are advised to get vaccination at least ten (10) days before travelling to Zambia. They are required to show proof of vaccination to immigration officials at the point of entry or report to port health.

Emergency Services

All public and private hospitals provide emergency health services. The second and third level hospitals provide all care and diagnostics including CAT Scan and MRI, as well as a Cardiac catheterization laboratory at the national referral hospital, the University Teaching Hospital (UTH). There are private and public ambulance service providers that can be accessed 24 hours a day.

The National emergency numbers are 992 for Health, 991 for Police and 993 for Fire department. These numbers can be accessed using all the telephone service providers.

Importation of Drugs

Travelers who are on certain medications are advised to carry enough stocks for personal use to last the duration of their stay in the country. However, for prescription drugs patients are advised to carry the prescription note with them that can be shown to customs and port health officials. Controlled drugs should carry relevant documentation as proof to customs and port health officials.