Kenya-travel vaccinations
 

Hello.

Where can I get information on which vaccinations I would need when visiting Kenya? Also, can anybody recommend any good travel clinics/doctors within NYC for these vaccinations?

Cheers!

Try the following CDC site:

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/

should give you all info on requirements for travel worldwide.

If you cannot get the innoculations required from your primary care physician, you'll find listings in the NYC Yellow Pages under Travel Medicine. Most of these clinics are staffed by Tropical Medicine Specialists who do have more knowledge then most general practicioners. However, the prices quoted will be high. I checked around for a Yellow Fever Innoc. and found the Cornel Medical Center/Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital located on York Ave @ 66th Street had a travel medicine clinic across the street and their prices were reasonable (Yellow Fever $85 then - about 6-yrs ago). Many hospitals in NYC have Travel Med. Clinics attached to them, so check them all.

However, I was able to get all I needed from my own physician (Hep A, Tetanus, Polio Booster) and the cost was only the co-pay for the visit ($15), so you must check what you doctor can do for you in conjunction with your own health situation. But do get a script from your own doctor for malaria prophylactic meds - recommended Malarone.

Sandi's right on target. I called my health care plan and asked if they covered shots for Hep A&B, etc. and they said no. So as a result we found a travel physician who was EXTREMELY helpful. My primary physician didn't have any idea what we might need and couldn't even provide some basic shots for me, while the travel MD let us know the risks and considerations of every shot we might need and had them right on hand. We were able to find him through a recommendation of our primary physician (though it required asking virtually every person in the office).

Yellow Fever, by the way, was still about $85. Even though my tour group stated that it's no longer a requirement, the MD encouraged us to get it since we will be required to show proof of having the vaccine when visiting other countries in the future after visiting Kenya (China for instance). He also strongly recommeded Tetanus, Hep A and B. Plus he gave us a prescription for Cipro in case we have stomach problems. Total cost of the full series of shots was about $350, just to prepare you!

My healthcare plan did cover the vaccinations. We got Hep A, yellow fever, meningitis, booster shots and a couple of others. We paid, but were later reimbursed by insurance ... so please make sure you check with your healthcare plan.

Along those same lines, our plan DID cover Larium (which isn't as preferred as many other marlia medications, but it was free!). Check with your provider about that as well, or talk with your pharmacist. I caught my pharmacist when he wasn't very busy - plus we didn't need the meds for a few weeks - and he was able to take the time to run a few possibilities through the pharmacy terminal. Make sure they're not busy though!

I went to a medical clinic that specialized in travel medicine.. they cost about $250.00 my husband's insurance covered it, but he had to go to a specific doctor who had to special order the yellow fever.. (you should do these shots 4-6 weeks before travel.) My insurance covered Malarone.. which I would highly recommend for malaria.. and my husband's insurance also covered his malaria meds. We both took malarone and were very happy. Minimal side effects.