Shelly-Ann Thompson, Freelance Writer

Although the Ministry of Health has cautioned against doctors prescribing them to uninfected persons travelling within the country, you may still want to ask your physician for a chemoprophylaxis drug.

A chemoprophylaxis drug, which prevents a person from contracting malaria, ranges in cost from about $114 to $1,784 at pharmacies islandwide.

Dr. Alverston Bailey, president of the Medical Association of Jamaica, said the current malaria crisis is a local outbreak in the island and not endemic.

"If persons need to visit affected areas they should contact the ministry (of health) for advice about the necessity to use chemoprophylaxis," Dr. Bailey told The Gleaner yesterday.

"The local outbreak is well contained, hence there is no need for uninfected persons to take these drugs."

For those concerned, taking a chemoprophylaxis drug might be an option to be considered.

Sale of repellents

Meanwhile, a customer who reported an incident to The Gleaner, said she was almost a victim of a markup price at the cash register. The customer visited a pharmacy in the Corporate Area yesterday and was told by the cashier that a bottle of 'Off' repellent costs $377, although $337 was printed on the container.

"I am sure if you go there now, you will pay the increased cost," said the shopper angrily. She paid the original cost for the repellent.

The Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) has encouraged persons to call around and check prices before purchasing insect repellents.

Dorothy Campbell, communications specialist at the CAC, said the commission has not had any complaints of price markups or gouging, but consumers should be cautious.

"It is an urgent matter to have mosquito repellents so people might panic and be willing to pay any price, but we want people to know that if they are unfairly treated (they should) report it to the CAC," said Miss Campbell.

When The Gleaner contacted five Corporate Area pharmacies most had only 'Off' and coil repellents for sale on the shelf. They also had the chemoprophylaxis drugs.

Representatives of three of the five pharmacies said they had seen an increase in the purchase of repellents.

News You Can Use

The following persons should not take chemoprophylaxis, antimalarial drugs.

- Children weighing less than 25 pounds (11 kilograms)

- Pregnant women

- Women breast-feeding infants weighing less than 25 pounds (11 kilograms)

- Patients with severe renal impairment

- Patients allergic to atovaquone or proguanil

- Persons with active depression or a recent history of depression

- Persons with a history of psychosis, generalised anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, or other major psychiatric disorder

- Take the drug on a full stomach with a full glass of liquid.

- The most common side effects reported by travellers taking chemoprophylaxis drugs include headache, nausea, dizziness, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, vivid dreams, and visual disturbances. These drugs have rarely been reported to cause serious side effects, such as seizures, depression, and psychosis. These serious side effects are more frequent with the higher doses used to treat malaria; fewer occurred at the weekly doses used to prevent malaria.

Antimalarial Drugs

Chemoprophylaxis medicines used to prevent malaria include:

- Chloroquine, known as Avloclor, 300 milligrams per week. One week prior to travel and every week thereafter, and this should be continued four to six weeks on leaving the area, or returning to Jamaica. At pharmacies, nine tablets, six weeks supply, are sold for about $212.

- Mefloquine, known as Lariam, 250 milligrams per week. A pack of six tablets at your local store is for $1,784.

- Chloroquine and Doxycycline, 300 milligrams, per week. An amount of 18 tablets, cost about $114.

Avoiding bites

For the prevention of malaria, the Centre for Disease Control in the United States of America recommends an insect repellent with DEET diethyltoluamide). Many DEET products give long-lasting protection against the mosquitoes that transmit malaria (the anopheles mosquitoes).

A few spray-on repellents containing DEET are Off and Greenhead, available at most pharmacies islandwide. If you are allergic to DEET, lemon eucalyptus oil is an alternative.