Medicine in Tanzania
 

How easy is it to get hold of western medicine in Tanzania esp. Arusha and Zanzibar. Are they expensive?

The thing is Im always very prepared (always have something for every eventuality), and I dont want to load down my suitcase with unnessary medicine if it possible to buy it there if needed.

DOes anyone know oor is this question too obscure?

Any help is very appreciated.

Better safe than sorry! We took EVERYTHING we could possibly think of. Needed a few things - didn't need others. That's the way it goes!

Snowy,
There are adventure medical kits that you can pick up from any outdoor adventure store.

The kits are great and have a little bit of everything you might need. They have kits designed for whatever part of the world you may be visiting.

We brought it along with us when we traveled to East Africa. Never needed it though but it was good to have just in case.

Upon traveling to South Africa, we left it home because we didn't spend any nights sleeping in the bush as we did in East Africa and we knew the lodges were well prepared.

Hope that helps.

It's best to take what you need or as a previous poster mentioned buy one of those prepack medical first aid kits. But if you're referring to personal meds, here I would definitely suggest you bring your own.

More than likely you won't be in Arusha but a day, if even that long - the rest of the time you'll be out in the bush. No pharmacy to be found there. If you're spending a few days in Zanzibar, I'm sure you will be able to fine general items, but as to specific meds - you should have the generic names for any of these, and what we understand in the US or UK as "brand" names, are likely unknown in Tanzania.

Bring what you need.

Snowy,
My father has a business in Tanzania and his wife was recently in hospital there for 2 weeks, he had to take her meals and water for bathing in because the hospital doesn't provide those things. At the house they own, tap water is only available 2 times a week, not always on schedule.

I would take your own medicines.

Our luggage did not arrive with us. So we went out looking for Western tioletries and meds... they were very rare, very little selection, and very expensive. Take your own.
We went to the pharmacy... they had large bottles of liquid... looked like the 1930s... Take your own.