Burns
Second-degree burns are quite common when camping because you often make and cook over a fire. These burns are painful and usually accompanied by swelling and blisters. First degree and second degree burns that are fewer than 7 cm in diameter or totalling less than 5% of the body surface area are generally considered minor burns. These types of burns usually heal quickly with minimal care. The only exceptions to this are burns in critical areas of the face, or burns that go around the whole circumference of a limb or finger, which need specialist care. Prevention: The most important thing is to prevent burns – whether it is an open fire or gas flame. Keep children and flammables away from open flames, especially cooking oil. Do not start fires with petrol or diesel. Treatment: The most important immediate treatment is to rapidly cool the area because heat below the surface can continue to cause tissue damage after the burn has occurred. Pouring on cold water or holding it under a running tap is recommended. Every camper should have a few packets of sterile trauma hydrogel burn dressings in their First Aid Kit. These are designed to cool and pro-
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tect burns. The hydrogel has a longer term cooling and soothing effect and the dressing instantly shields and protects the wound against further contamination and infection. Fluid loss is kept to a minimum, and so the potential for shock is reduced. Dressings should cover the whole of the burn area. The non-adhesive moist gel impedes bonding of the dressing to the wound and thereby facilitates easy removal of the dressing. You should take the dressing off within a day and apply antiseptic ointment to prevent infection. If you have to clean the burn area/ blisters, do so with a sterile saline solution. To make a sterile saline solution, mix 10 ml salt in 1â„“ of water, boil the solution for a minute and let it cool down. Do not use an antiseptic liquid like Savlon or Dettol as it can cause chemical burns if not used in the correct dilution. Take a pain reliever if needed.
Malaria
Malaria is found in all areas of Botswana, except for the Southern Kalahari Desert. Therefore the biggest part of Botswana is a high risk malaria area for which you need to take prophylaxis. Even in winter when it is cooler and the risk less, there is still a lot of water around which acts as breeding ground for mosquitoes. Most doctors will advise you not to take toddlers under the age of five