Malaria is a deadly disease spread by mosquitoes. We don’t provide a one-size-fits-all answer; we provide the right antimalarial for your specific trip.
Your appointment includes your entire itinerary, health history, and destination risk profile.
Book your malaria appointment online. No referral needed.
Your pharmacist reviews your destination, health, and medications.
Antimalarial supplied on the day with full instructions.
Know exactly when to start and stop your medication.
Malaria exists in more than 90 countries, and the appropriate antimalarial depends on where you travel and who you are.
Transmission is high year-round, and all travellers will require antimalarial medication.
High risk all year round, including Zanzibar. Antimalarials are essential for all travellers.
Risk is very regional and requires a detailed review of the itinerary prior to supply.
Negligible risk in tourist areas; rural border regions require individual assessment.
Malaria risk and drug resistance patterns change regularly. Your pharmacist will confirm the most appropriate antimalarial based on your itinerary and the latest destination guidance.
Malaria can be fatal and is spread by mosquito bites; symptoms can appear weeks after le
Malaria is transmitted only by infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, which generally bite between dusk and dawn. The parasite travels to the liver and then infects red blood cells. You cannot catch malaria just by being near someone else.
Main symptoms include fever with cycles, chills, sweating, headache, and nausea, beginning 7-30 days after infection, sometimes up to a year later. Falciparum malaria, most common in sub-Saharan Africa, can rapidly cause organ failure and death. Seek urgent medical attention if a fever occurs within one year after returning.
This daily pill attacks malaria parasites throughout their life cycle. Start one to two days before your trip, take daily with food, and continue for seven days after returning.
A budget-friendly antibiotic for longer trips. Begin one to two days pre-travel, take daily with food and water, and continue for four weeks after return. Protect skin from sunlight.
A weekly tablet, best when other options aren’t suitable. Start ten days before travel, continue for four weeks after return. Not recommended for those with psychiatric or heart conditions.
Taking Malarone without food may cause nausea. Doxycycline can cause nausea, sensitivity to sun, and thrush. Mefloquine may trigger vivid dreams, dizziness, or mood changes. Contact us regarding side effects.
Know your options before your appointment: start times, duration, costs and suitability vary
Start before travelling.
1 to 2 days
1 to 2 days
10 days (two doses at 10 days and 2 to 3
Frequency
Once daily
Once daily
Once weekly
Continue after return
7 days
4 weeks
4 weeks
Maximum duration
12 months
No stated limit
12 months
Cost
From £2.50 (generic) / £3.50 (Malarone) per tablet
From 80p per capsule
£3/tablet
Best suited for
Most destinations, shorter trips
Longer trips, cost-conscious travellers
Travellers unable to take Malarone or Doxycycline
Key restriction
Severe renal impairment, warfarin, digoxin interactions
Under-12s, pregnant or breastfeeding patients, hepatic impairment
Psychiatric history, blackwater fever, hepatic impairment, pregnancy
Travellers to high-transmission Sub-Saharan Africa
Very high year-round Falciparum burden across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Tanzania
Those visiting friends and family in endemic countries
Rural or peri-urban stays with higher mosquito exposure and less screened accommodation
Backpackers and budget travellers
Limited mosquito protection and greater outdoor exposure at dusk and dawn
Pregnant travellers
Malaria in pregnancy risks miscarriage, premature birth, and maternal death
Children travelling to endemic regions
Falciparum deterioration is rapid in children; weight-based dosing and bite prevention essential
Travellers who have previously lived in endemic areas
Partial immunity may have waned significantly since leaving.
Every appointment is led by a pharmacist who has spent a career doing this.
Mandeep Sandhu has been a pharmacist since 2006, qualifying at Aberdeen. Travel health has been the real focus of his career. He has an independent prescriber qualification with yellow fever accreditation and NaTHNaC training and has spent over a decade helping people travel safely.
He is a keen traveller himself and understands that no two trips are the same. Every patient receives the time and advice that their trip actually needs.
Qualified pharmacist registered with the GPhC
Authorised to prescribe and supply travel medications independently
Certified to administer the yellow fever vaccine and issue the ICVP certificate
Travel health training aligned with UK national guidance
Colchester Travel Clinic is easy to reach with free on-site parking and appointments available six days a week.
We’re an independent, pharmacist-led clinic where you’re seen by the same team from first appointment to final vaccine no transfers, no chase.
For Sub-Saharan Africa, commonly recommended are Malarone or doxycycline. It varies depending on your itinerary, health history, and budget confirmed at appointment.
Start Malarone and doxycycline 1-2 days before travel. Mefloquine requires 10 days’ lead time. Make your consultation booking early to keep all options open
Yes. Malarone has a formulation for children from 5 kg. Doxycycline can be used in children 12 years of age and older. The dose is confirmed at the consultation.
All three are contraindicated in lactation. Options are very limited during pregnancy. Specialist advice is essential; please speak to a pharmacist before booking.
Not quite. The risk varies with region, altitude, and season; your pharmacist looks at your exact trip, not just the country you’re going to.
Booking your appointment is quick and easy. We guide you through each step so you know exactly what to expect.
Don’t leave malaria prevention till the last minute. The right antimalarial should be taken before you travel, not after you arrive. Book your appointment online today and walk out with your medication the same day.
