Tips on Ghana Warnings and Dangers - Stay Safe!

Stay safe in Ghana by following these tips.

Early explorers and missionaries, including the Great Egyptologist, Belzoni, often died of health problems soon after arrival in Ghana. Today, the biggest threat remains malaria, an illness spread by mosquitoes.

Authorities may prescribe some prophylatics for a month before, during, and for a month after the trip. Prophylatics for malaria are not a vaccine but act to combat reproduction of malaria cysts in the blood.

Here are some steps to avoid malaria: First, use a DEET clothes wash kit to treat a set of clothes before leaving home. Second, use a 50 percent DEET lotion to stop mosquitoes from landing on the skin. Third, wear long sleeves and pants, especially at night. Fourth, and most importantly, since being bitten at night during sleep is very common, stay in hotels with air-conditioning. If the traveler is on a very tight budget, or if no a/c is available, a good fan near the bed can help, but then sleep in a mosquito net. Fifth, avoid spending time about the open sewers common in the cities.

The sewer system is on the side of the roads in Accra. Some have concrete blocks covering them and some have metal grates. Whether they are covered or not, they are still in disrepair. You must watch where you walk, especially at night. You could easily twist your ankle. Ask at your hotel if it's safe to venture outside without a driver or guide at night.

Editor's Note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about warnings and dangers in Ghana.