Illness in Africa

[Magumba]

Hi all,
Been thinking about looking for work in Nigeria flying helicopter offshore. Wondering if the guide book stories about all the stuff you can catch there are real and should be concerns to me.
If I use common sense, keep my wicky in trousers and don't do drugs is there much personal risk?
Thanks. Over.

[B Sousa]

Think about it and forget it. You can get the same money or better in the States for Helicopter work. Disease is common and if your in single, well.......you can die easier.
Im surprised some of those who work there havent jumped on this one.
Not Necessarily Nigeria, but BTDT. You want to work in Africa, head to South Africa, Botswana. If you get a job, hang with the local pilots and dont Eat or Drink anything they dont. South Africa to me is the greatest travel secret in the world, very beautiful, good folks and the US Dollar is doing OK......Rather be there than any of the major cities of the US.
Tuck in your net at night.

[Boss Raptor]

It is all true - and all too common - especially near the swamps next to Warri, Calabar, Port Harcourt and Eket where the choppers are...

[JJflyer]

There is a book by Fielding... It is unlike any other travel guide. It is titled " Worlds most dangerous places ". It has accurate descriptions on some of the more excotic nasties you can pick up like Ebola as well as the more common River blindness and Malaria.

Book has some good info on places to avoid and is quite accurate in some aspects. I don´t know if it has been updated recently.
I think I bought it from Barnes & Noble in San Fransisco a few years ago.

If anything it was very entertaining.

JJ

[126.9]

Yeah FANTASTIC mr B Sousa. If you'd like some personal accounts regarding FANTASTIC S AFRICA, I have them. That's why I left this FANTASTIC country to bring up my children. And I'm in good company; check out Ryan Air, Go, easyJet, Air Hong Kong, Fed Ex, DHL, UPS, Crossair, Swissair, Emirates, Gulf Air, Farnair, Air Freight Express and Numerous Others I'm Sure for more South Africans who are sick of violence, affirmative action, disease, sub-standard education, corruption, medical inadequacy, exorbitant taxation with NO return, and total erosion of society beyond belief. Not to mention what is most likely the highest crime rate in the world!

Yes Sir: go to South Africa; in all liklihood it's the best place in Africa!!!

[j boy]

Nigeria is a great place to live. I was there 7 years flying fixed wing and i enjoyed it thoroughly. If you take your malaria, thyphoid shots, you should not have any problems. There are lots of expatriates flying for Bristow and Shell if you stick to them they will show you the ropes. Most of the expatriates have their own private communities where they live and they are well taken care of. If you are the adventurous type, the Country has very rich culture and tradition which can be discovered by mixing with the locals and there are quite a few very good ones amongst the pilot community. Leave your credit cards in your home country and don't go into any business with any of them for starters do your flying and go home and have a bottle of cold gulder-good Nigerian beer on your days off (Don't drink and fly)! The weather around Port-Harcourt and Calabar areas where i assume you will be flying is a challenge, thunderstorms and C.A.T. in the summer and dust haze in the winter known as harmattan. Visibility can drop to 100metres easily. My advice go there and check it out you may like it.

The women are pretty nice too and i know few expatritates that have married a few. They are good you no where!. Just remember your raincoat for your wick. All the best.

[j boy]

Hey Magumba I see from your profile you like
to hunt. There is a lot of game in Nigeria.Very nice bushmeat tender grasscutter (porcupine), bushrat (antelope) I could continue to name them but I am getting hungry time for B.B.Q bushrat !!!!

[Magumba]

Jboy,
Thanks for the info. I sure like wild meat mayby I should bring a rifle and shotgun. I there a bag limit on mosquitos with a 410. I've been thinking that if I go I should set up a little hunting trip while on leave.
Cheers.

[212man]

Having been in Nigeria for 5 years, the most prevalant illness for expats seems to be malaria. I'll not go into it in detail as it is a minefield of misimformation and personal opinions. In general it seems to be a question of luck whether you get it or not.

If you aren't too fussy with your eating and drinking habits, there is also the chance to get typhoid, I've seen that a few times. As said above, this is all based on the fact that you'll be in a compound with reasonable facilities. If you had to live in a hut in the swamp you'd probably catch all sorts.

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Another day in paradise