Hi,
I'm going to Uganda and Rwanda next january, and i was wondering if it's worth the effort bring a mosquito net.
I will be sleeping in budget hotels or hostels.
Do those have a hook that i can use to have my net? Or not?
If not, than i'd rather leave my net at home so i won't have to carry it around.
And is it really necessary to use anti-malaria medication? I heard the side-effects can be quite severe.
How much does your net weigh?
If you don't want it, there are probably several million people who would appreciate a net.
I heard the side-effects of malaria are can be quite severe......
Your choice.
most places have nets, so it's not really needed. depending on how long your staying, anti-malarials are a good idea (malaria isn't fun), and some have very few side effects.
donating your net to someone is a good idea too!
Definitely take one. They don't weigh much and it could save your life. While it is true that a small minority of people who take anti-malarials suffer severe side effects, as peterscot points out, one of the side effects of malaria is death. Don't risk it. I recommend doxycycline, which you can buy very cheaply from The Surgery in Kampala:
Yeah, i'll get some anti-malariamedication.
Are those mosquito nets in these places usually treated with an insecticide?
In most places they won't have been treated and in cheaper accommodation, if there are any, they may be old and full of holes.
most places, even budget hotels have them... i neve rbothered to check to find out if they had been treated bu ti never had a problem.. even while staying in remote areas in the island of lake victoria, every hotel, B7B or private home i stayed at had mesquito nets.
and yes, anti-malaria meds are worth it... just do your research, there are several kinds, some have beraly any side effects - such as malerone - and others have quite severe ones - like halicinating and night terrors... they can save your life... especially since with many of them, there is a formula to self medicate if you get malaria - usually it;s simply by increasing the dossage by 2 or 3 times.
I live in Tanzania and so I am used to having nets over every bed. When I went to Uganda and Rwanda, I was pretty surprised to find no nets in some places (not hostels, but $30-40/night hotels). The countries are both a lot colder and higher... so there are less mozzies than in TZN, but I still swatted a few...
Hi, i just got back from my trip to Uganda and Rwanda.
To answer my own question:
There were mosquito-nets in all the hostels i stayed at, even the (very) cheap ones, so i didn't need to bring my own (although i did).
It is wise to bring a roll of (white) tape, since some of the nets you'll encounter have some holes in them, and with the tape you can fix them up. I didn'n see many mosquitos by the way (but one can be too much of course).