Medical Summary
The health risk information presented here is summarized from Shoreland Travax®, a decision-support tool used by health care providers to perform a detailed health risk analysis based on specific locations, individual travel styles, and traveler risk behaviors. Travax provides practitioners current, independently researched malaria risk and prevention recommendations in a map-based format that goes beyond the annual WHO and US CDC statements included here. Not included here are current reports from Travax of disease outbreaks or environmental events that may pose elevated risks to travelers’ health and safety. The Providers section of this site offers a directory of health care providers who utilize Shoreland Travax for travel health counseling. Learn more about the detailed reports and maps available from these practitioners (includes links to samples).
General Information
Suriname is a developing nation classified as upper middle income. Located in northern South America along the Atlantic Ocean (east of Guyana and west of French Guiana), the climate is humid equatorial (no dry season) in the north and humid equatorial (short dry season) in the south.
Vaccinations
Yellow Fever
See also: Library article for Yellow Fever
An official yellow fever vaccination certificate may be required depending on your itinerary. Vaccination is usually recommended if you’ll be traveling in areas where there is risk of yellow fever transmission.
- Requirement: A certificate proving yellow fever vaccination is required for travelers aged ≥ 1 year coming from countries with risk of YF transmission. This also applies to airport transit stops (no exit through immigration checkpoint) longer than 12 hours in risk countries.
- Official Status: listed by WHO as a country where YF transmission risk is present.
Other Vaccines
Depending on your itinerary, your personal risk factors, and the length of your visit, your health care provider may offer you vaccination against COVID-19, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, measles, mumps, rubella, rabies, or typhoid fever. Routine immunizations, such as those that prevent tetanus/diphtheria or "childhood" diseases, should be reviewed and updated as needed.
Malaria
See also: Library article for Malaria
The following is current information as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
WHO—International Travel and Health (current online update, Country List)
(2021) Malaria risk due to P. falciparum (40%), P. vivax (58%), and mixed infections (2%) continues to decrease in recent years. Suriname is in the process of malaria elimination. Malaria occurs throughout the year in the interior of the country beyond the coastal savannah area, with highest risk mainly along the eastern border and in gold‐mining areas. Paramaribo city and the other seven coastal districts have been free from malaria transmission since 1968. P. falciparum resistant to mefloquine has been reported. Some decline in quinine sensitivity has also been reported.- Recommended prevention in risk areas: C – Risk of P. falciparum malaria, in combination with reported chloroquine and sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine resistance. Mosquito bite prevention plus atovaquone–proguanil or doxycycline or mefloquine chemoprophylaxis (select according to reported side effects and contraindications) a
aAlternatively, for travel to rural areas with low risk of malaria infection, mosquito bite prevention can be combined with stand–by emergency treatment (SBET).
WHO Country List footnote: When available, the date of the most recent update or confirmation is indicated in parentheses in the country list. If no date is indicated, the most recent update or confirmation was provided before 2013.
CDC—Health Information for International Travel (current online edition)
Areas with malaria: Present in the municipality of Tapanahony in Sipaliwini Province. Rare cases in Brokopondo Province, Marowijne Province, and Boven Saramacca municipality in Sipaliwini Province. No malaria in Paramaribo.- Drug resistance3 : Chloroquine.
- Malaria species: P. falciparum 70%, P. vivax 15%–20%.
- Recommended chemoprophylaxis: Tapanahony municipality in Sipaliwini Province: Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, or tafenoquine.4 Other Areas with malaria: None (practice mosquito avoidance).
3 Refers to P. falciparum malaria unless otherwise noted.
4 Primaquine and tafenoquine can cause hemolytic anemia in people with G6PD deficiency. Patients must be screened for G6PD deficiency before starting primaquine or tafenoquine. See Tafenoquine Approved for Malaria Prophylaxis and Treatment for more information.
Other Concerns
Travelers' Diarrhea
See also: Library article for Travelers' Diarrhea
High risk exists throughout the country, including in deluxe accommodations. Community sanitation and food safety measures are generally inadequate. Some itineraries (e.g., remote destinations, austere accommodations) and activities (e.g., ecotourism, eating street or local-market food) further increase risk.
Travelers should observe food and beverage precautions, which reduce the likelihood of illness.
Travelers should carry loperamide for self-treatment of diarrhea and, if risk is moderate to high, an antibiotic to add if diarrhea is severe. Consult a knowledgeable health care provider regarding which antibiotic is appropriate for you and most effective for your destination.
Insect- and Arthropod-Borne Diseases
Chagas' disease (American trypanosomiasis), chikungunya, dengue, leishmaniasis, mayaro virus, Zika may pose a risk. Personal protective measures are important.
Other Disease and Health Risks
Additional concerns include helminths, leptospirosis, marine hazards, schistosomiasis, sexually transmitted infections, snakebites, tuberculosis.
Consular Advice
The material below includes information from the US Department of State (DOS), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCO), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), as well as from additional open-source material. Standard safety precautions that apply to all international travel can be found in the Library article Safety and Security.
Terrorism Risk
No intrinsic risk of attack by terrorist groups exists, but unforeseen attacks are possible.
Crime
Moderate risk of violent crime (armed robbery, home invasion and carjacking) exists in Paramaribo (especially in the business and shopping districts and the Palm Garden area); in the cities of Albina and Moengo; along the East-West highway between Paramaribo and Albina.
High risk of petty crime exists in Paramaribo, especially in the business and shopping districts and near hotels.
Civil Unrest
Protests and demonstrations occur throughout the country and are generally peaceful but have the potential to turn violent without warning. Bystanders are at risk of harm from violence or from the response by authorities. Disruption to transportation, free movement, or the ability to carry out daily activities may occur.
Transportation Safety
High risk of traffic-related injury or death exists. The road traffic death rate is 12 to 24 per 100,000 population. The rate is less than 10 in most high-income countries.
Drunk driving laws are poorly enforced.
Structural standards for vehicles may not meet international standards.
Airline Safety
The US Federal Aviation Administration has determined that the civil aviation authority of this country oversees its air carriers in accordance with minimum international safety standards.
Natural Disasters
The rainy season is from December through February and from April through August. Floods, mudslides, and landslides may occur.
Consular Information
Selected Embassies or Consulates in Suriname
- United States: [+597] 556-700; sr.usembassy.gov
- Canada: [+597] 424575/424527; travel.gc.ca/assistance/embassies-consulates/suriname
- United Kingdom: U.K. does not have an embassy or consulate in Suriname.
- Australia: Australia does not have an embassy or consulate in Suriname.
Suriname's Embassies or Consulates in Selected Countries
- In the U.S.: www.surinameembassy.org
- In Canada: Suriname does not have an embassy or consulate in Canada.
- In the U.K.: [+44] 7768-196-326
- In Australia: Suriname does not have an embassy or consulate in Australia.
Visa/HIV Testing
HIV testing may be required to obtain a work or residence visa.
