Travelling to Ghana? Most UK visitors are advised to be up to date with hepatitis A, typhoid and a tetanus, diphtheria and polio booster, with a yellow fever certificate required for entry and malaria prevention important countrywide. Crewe Travel Clinic can confirm your personal list at a consultation.
For Ghana, most UK travellers are advised to be up to date with hepatitis A, typhoid, a tetanus, diphtheria and polio booster and yellow fever, while hepatitis B, rabies and meningitis ACWY may be recommended depending on your trip. A yellow fever certificate is required for entry, and malaria prevention is important throughout the country. Crewe Travel Clinic can confirm your exact list at a consultation.
Ghana is one of West Africa's most welcoming destinations, drawing UK travellers to the bustling markets and museums of Accra, the historic forts and beaches of the Cape Coast around Elmina and Cape Coast Castle, the cultural heart of Kumasi, and the forests, waterfalls and wildlife parks further inland towards Mole and the Volta Region. Many visitors fly into Accra before heading along the coast or up-country by road, and trips range from short city and beach breaks to longer overland journeys, volunteering placements, business travel and visits to friends and family. Your health risks depend a great deal on where you go, how long you stay and what you plan to do.\n\nWe recommend booking a travel health appointment around 6 to 8 weeks before you fly, as some vaccines need more than one dose or take time to become fully protective, and a yellow fever certificate only becomes valid ten days after vaccination. Even if your trip is sooner, it is still well worth coming in, as we can usually help at short notice. At Crewe Travel Clinic our NHS-trained nurse reviews your itinerary, planned activities, medical history and vaccination record, then gives you a tailored plan. The recommendations below are general guidance following current TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC) and WHO advice, and your final list is always confirmed in person at your consultation.
Spread through contaminated food and water, hepatitis A is recommended for most previously unvaccinated travellers to Ghana.
A combined booster is advised if your last dose was more than ten years ago or your UK course is incomplete, and it also keeps your polio protection current.
Recommended where food and water hygiene may be variable, particularly for longer stays, rural travel and those visiting friends or relatives.
There is a risk of yellow fever throughout Ghana and a certificate is required for entry, so the vaccine is recommended for almost all travellers aged 9 months and over.
Considered for longer trips, possible medical or dental treatment abroad, adventure activities or other exposure to blood and body fluids.
Worth discussing for stays of a month or more, remote areas with limited medical care, or activities such as cycling, running, trekking and working with animals.
Considered for longer or close-contact stays and those visiting friends and relatives, as northern Ghana lies within the African meningitis belt where risk rises in the dry season.
Usually only for aid and relief workers or those heading to areas with poor sanitation, limited safe water or active outbreaks.
May be considered for unvaccinated under-16s staying over three months, or healthcare workers with likely TB exposure.
Malaria is present throughout Ghana all year round, including Accra and the coast as well as inland and rural areas, so prevention is important wherever your itinerary takes you. Antimalarial tablets are recommended for most travellers, with the usual options being atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline or mefloquine, alongside strict bite avoidance. We prescribe the most suitable tablets for your dates, route and medical history at your consultation, and advise on covering up at dusk and after dark, using DEET-based repellent and sleeping under a treated net where needed.
Ghana requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate for entry, including for travellers arriving directly from the UK. There is also a genuine risk of yellow fever transmission across the country, so the vaccine is recommended for your health as well as to meet the entry requirement, and is generally given from 9 months of age. As a Registered Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre we can vaccinate you and issue the internationally recognised ICVP certificate, which becomes valid ten days after vaccination. The vaccine has medical cautions, so it must be discussed at a consultation first.
Check yellow fever certificate requirementsStick to safe food and water habits: drink bottled or treated water, avoid ice of uncertain origin, and choose food that is freshly and thoroughly cooked. Insect-bite avoidance protects against malaria and other mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue and chikungunya, so use a DEET-based repellent, cover up and use a net where needed. Meningitis risk rises in the dry season, particularly in the north. Rabies is present, so avoid stray animals and seek urgent advice after any bite or scratch. Ghana's heat, humidity and strong sun also make hydration, sun protection and care on the roads important.