Cholera (Dukoral) vaccine in West Hampstead London Travel Clinic

Cholera (Dukoral) vaccine in West Hampstead, at a glance

Cholera is a severe diarrhoeal illness caused by Vibrio cholerae and spread through contaminated water and food. Severe cases can dehydrate a healthy adult to the point of collapse within hours. Outbreaks remain common in parts of South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Haiti, and Yemen, often following floods, conflict, or displacement. Dukoral® is the licensed oral vaccine in the UK and is taken as a drink, not an injection.

Who needs the Cholera vaccine?

UKHSA Green Book Chapter 14 and NaTHNaC recommend cholera vaccination for aid workers and healthcare staff deploying to outbreak areas, travellers visiting friends and relatives (VFR) in high-risk rural communities, travellers with chronic gastrointestinal conditions, and anyone visiting current outbreak zones such as parts of Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Bangladesh, or rural India and the Philippines where sanitation may be limited. It is not routinely recommended for standard tourist itineraries.

How the appointment works at Aqua

You book online and come in for dose 1. The vaccine is a sachet dissolved in 150ml of water with a buffer powder, drunk in clinic, with no food or drink for 1 hour either side. Dose 2 is given 1 to 6 weeks later, at least 1 week before travel. Children aged 2 to 6 need 3 doses. The full course gives around 85% protection for 6 months in adults, with lower protection lasting up to 2 years. Boosters are recommended after 2 years if risk continues.

Destinations and outbreak settings

Active or recurring cholera transmission is documented across Bangladesh, Yemen, Haiti, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, the Philippines, and high-risk rural areas of India. We commonly pair Dukoral with Hepatitis A, Typhoid, and Hepatitis B for aid workers and VFR travellers.

Side effects and contraindications

Side effects are usually mild: stomach upset, nausea, or mild diarrhoea in the first day or two. Dukoral is not a live vaccine. It is not recommended for children under 2 or for people with acute gastrointestinal illness on the day of dosing. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are not absolute contraindications, but we discuss benefit and risk individually.

Book your appointment

Aqua Travel Clinic is at 59 Mill Lane, West Hampstead NW6 1NB, 4 minutes from West Hampstead station. The clinic is operated by Aqua Pharmacy (GPhC premises 1123406), part of Naspram Pharma Limited. All consultations are supervised by Superintendent Pharmacist Sanjay Mukundkumar Patel (GPhC 2045157). Book a Cholera (Dukoral) appointment online or call us. We will plan both doses around your travel dates.