Visitors to Kompiam will have to up to date immunizations for Typhoid and Hepatitis A. These can be obtained as a single injection on prescription from your local GP.
Students and other health workers intending to have clinical contact will need up make sure their Hepatitis B vaccinations are current.
Malaria is endemic to PNG, and chloroquine resistant strains of both Plasmodium Falciparum and Vivax are common all over PNG including the highlands. Increasingly we are seeing Artemesin resistant strains as well. However the picture varies a great deal from place to place and knowledge of the area your are visiting is key in making recommendations.
We feel that malaria prophylaxis in Kompiam station is open for discussion. Kompiam is at 5100 feet elevation and although malaria has definitely moved up in elevation (traditionally it was not found in these higher altitudes), it is our impression that we are not seeing cases from Kompiam station. We do see a lot of malaria in the hospital but these seem to be coming from outlying areas, many of which are lower in altitude. Therefore, for short term visitors staying only in Kompiam, a case could be made that prophylaxis is optional. Most resident families in Kompiam do not use it. Mt Hagen is at 5800′ and prophylaxis is not required.
For students who will almost certainly be out on patrol in outlying areas part of the time, prophylaxis is mandatory.
The options come down to Doxycycline, taken daily and Mefloquine taken weekly.
Doxycycline is possibly cheaper but can cause GI upset and will increase likelihood of sunburn. Skin burns easily anyway at these higher altitudes so extra care needs to be taken. It is readily available in Kompiam and we are happy to supply it to visitors free of charge. You will need to start it some days before arriving in Kompiam, so you will still need a small supply from your GP. It can’t be taken by pregnant women and children, as it is incorporated into forming teeth leaving permanent staining.
Mefloquine can give some very intense dreams in some people and current recommendations suggest it shouldn’t be taken by people with a history of psychiatric illness. It is not available in Kompiam.
Japanese Encephalitis – unfortunately there is very little data on its prevalence in the highlands of PNG. Our anecdotal experience is that viral encephalitis is uncommon. JE vaccines are available in Australia although they are very expensive.