· There are a number of anti-malaria drugs available in different countries. Lariam (Mefloquine) is the traditional preventative drug, but because of the high incidence of side effects, it is an unpopular choice for UK travellers. Doxycycline is the popular choice of Australian travellers, but I don't think that it's licensed in the UK. Chloroquine was the one recommended to me for travel in Africa and India, but because there are reportedly some strains of Chloroquine-resistant mosquitoes, an additional daily dose of Proguanil was recommended for Africa.

Supplies of Chloroquine are readily available from chemists in India at a fraction of the cost in UK. To my certain knowledge Chloroquine is also available in Kenya, again for a much reduced outlay.

I used Indian Chloroquine without any problems, but it is worth remembering that many pharmaceutical companies have been accused of 'dumping' out-of-date drugs or quality control failures on third world countries.

www.cdc.gov/travel/malariadrugs provides some background.

Alastair Fraser

· The best way to avoid contracting malaria is to not get bitten. So take a good quality mosquito net and check it daily for holes. Try using essential oils such as citronella in your room and lavender on your body as these will keep mosquitoes and other insects away. Also, taking Vitamin B12 and garlic capsules well in advance of - and throughout - your travels makes you secrete an odour which insects seem to be repelled by. This will also help prevent against stomach upsets. My friend and I travelled in India for three months. Neither of us took anti-malaria pills and both of us came home disease-free. Indeed, many people contract malaria while taking quinine tablets; there is strong medical advice to suggest that taking prophylactic anti-malaria pills such as larium actually increases insect resistance and is damaging to health.
Fabia Ramsay

· Try getting hold of some homeopathic anti-malaria prophylactics. I am allergic to the usual remedies and suffered from bad hallucinogenic dreams when taking larium. I lived and worked in South Africa for 18 months and travelled frequently to Botswana, Mozambique, Madagascar and Zimbabwe. I used pills from a variety of homeopathic outlets in Johannesburg and they seemed to do the trick without causing any adverse side effects. Also, make sure you keep well covered from dusk till dawn and invest in a good mosquito net.
Sheila Tolley