​Are you traveling during this holiday season? Visit one of the Gauteng Department of Health's (GDoH) Travel Clinics to get access to convenient, flexible travel health solutions to keep you safe whilst abroad.
There are five travel clinic clinics across the province of which four are for the public and they include the Bertha Gxowa Hospital, Laudium Community Health Centre, Yusuf Dadoo Hospital, and GDoH Head office at Commissioner Street in Johannesburg. 
Those in need of the vaccines as per the requirement of the countries they are visiting can expect to spend an affordable minimum amount of R19.00 to a maximum of R485.60 including the R218.00 consultation fee.
Travellers can get an array of vaccines including Yellow Fever, Menactra, Verorab for rabies, Diftavex for Tetanus and Diphtheria, Heberbiovac for Hepatitis and Typhim for typhoid fever, Doxycline, Malateq and chemoprophylaxis for Malaria, Adacel Quatra for  Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio and  Pertussis vaccines. The administration of the vaccines will be administered as per the requirements of the country they are visiting. 
It is important that those travelling visit their nearest travel clinic before going to their destination. This is to help them stay safe and protected from diseases found in other parts of the world.
In Gauteng, a large proportion of travellers present with Malaria after visiting endemic areas in and out of the country. These areas include Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces and South African Development Community (SADC) countries such as Mozambique, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Angola.
From January to December 2023, a total of 1 339 Malaria cases which resulted in 15 deaths were reported in the province. Almost 90% of these cases were imported from the SADC countries. 
Tebogo Matjokotja, Deputy Director for Communicable Diseases Control said that it was important that travellers report any symptoms of malaria within 21 days of coming back from their trips for malaria rapid test and early treatment.
"When travelling to a malaria endemic area, it is important for people to practice protective measures. People travelling to endemic areas should regularly use of mosquito repellents, wear long trousers and long sleeve shirts, be indoors between dusk and dawn, sleep in air-conditioned rooms or in a room with a fan and sleeping in insecticide treated nettings. 
"Malaria symptoms include fever, headache, general body aches and pains, general body weakness, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea and the flu. It is important that people who notice any of these symptoms after visiting a malaria prevalent area visit their nearest clinic or doctor to get tested and treated for malaria, as delay in treatment can lead to death," said Matjokotja.