See a medical doctor about meningitis (meningococcal) vaccination. The western half of Ethiopia is part of the "Meningitis Belt." For travelers visiting that area during the dry season (December through June), the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a meningococcal vaccination.
Begin a regimen of atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline or mefloquine to prevent malaria. All of Ethiopia below an altitude of 6,561 feet is at-risk for malaria except the city of Addis Ababa. Purchase prescribed anti-malaria drugs in the U.S. and take them according to a doctor's instructions.
Receive vaccinations for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, rabies, and polio at least a month or two before departure to Ethiopia. Check the CDC website regularly for any change in recommended or required immunizations.
Update immunizations for diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT), polio, influenza, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), chicken pox and any other "routine" vaccinations your family physician deems necessary.
Obtain an International Certificate of Vaccination (ICV) for yellow fever if entering Ethiopia from a country where yellow fever is present. Ethiopia is in the yellow fever endemic zone, as are three of its neighbors: Somalia, Kenya and Sudan. The CDC recommends a yellow fever vaccination for traveling to Ethiopia for those over nine months old. The CDC website has a list of yellow fever vaccination clinics. (See Resources below.)
Take precautions to prevent malaria and other insect-carried diseases. Dengue, leishmaniasis, filariasis and river blindness (onchocerciasis) occur in Ethiopia. Wear long sleeves, long pants and hats when outdoors. Use insect repellent and sleep under netting when indoors. Stay indoors during peak biting times.
