Home › Travel Guides › Africa Travel Guide › Cape Verde › Cape Verde health care and vaccinations
Image gallery

Mercado Municipal São Filipe, Cape Verde

© Creative Commons / davetrainer's

Cape Verde health care and vaccinations

Vaccination identifier Special precautions
Diphtheria

Yes
Hepatitis A

Yes
Malaria

Sometimes
Rabies

Sometimes
Tetanus

Yes
Typhoid

Yes
Yellow Fever

No*

* A certificate of vaccination is required from travellers over one year of age arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission.

Reports in November 2009 indicate significant outbreaks of dengue fever in Brava, Fogo, Maio, and São Tiago (Santiago).

Health insurance, including emergency repatriation cover, is advised, although in-patient treatment is free in general wards on presentation of a passport. Treatment is private and expensive on the smaller islands.

Food and drink: 

All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. All drinking water should be bottled, boiled or carbonated. Water used for brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised. Avoid all dairy products and food from street vendors. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.

Other risks: 

Hepatitis E is highly endemic in sub-saharan Africa, but has very low occurrence in Cape Verde; precautions are still advisable. Hepatitis B is hyperendemic in the region. Vaccination against tuberculosis is sometimes advised. Giardia occurs.

Travel Deals

Recommended Sites:

Protect yourself from malaria
Before you travel, find out if your holiday destination is in a malaria zone.
(An educational initiative organised and funded by GlaxoSmithKline Travel Health. UK/MARK/0173/10 September 2010)
Africa, the way it should be seen
We´re cutting the cost of Africa overland trips by up to a whopping 40%. 25% off many trips departing by 30/6/12.
Travel insurance
For residents of over 150 countries. High levels of medical, evacuation, emergency & most adventure activities covered.