Need malaria medication for Rajasthan in July / August?

Question

I am going to Delhi and various towns in Rajasthan this summer. This part of India is usually low risk but then again, it will be monsoon season. I've been to see my GP who says it's a none to low risk area. Any idea if Proguanil and Chloroquine is advisable for this area? I am only going for 3 weeks. Is it worth taking medication?

Answer 1

True, July/August is typically monsoon season in India. But then, large parts of Rajasthan - and most of the major tourist regions, which are in the northwest parts of Rajasthan - lie in a region of rain shadow due to the Aravalli mountain range.

The northwestern portion of Rajasthan is generally sandy and dry. Most of this region is covered by the Thar Desert which extends into adjoining portions of Pakistan. The Aravalli Range does not intercept the moisture-giving southwest monsoon winds off the Arabian Sea, as it lies in a direction parallel to that of the coming monsoon winds, leaving the northwestern region in a rain shadow.

To get a general idea of what the rainfall in different regions is, this text from the Rajasthan government site is useful. (Use it to look up the areas you're going to.)

There is a very rapid and marked decrease in rainfall west of the Aravalli range making western Rajasthan the most arid part. The average annual rainfall in this part ranges from less than 10 cm in north-west part of Jaisalmer (lowest in the state), to 20 to 30 cm in Ganganagar, Bikaner and Barmer regions, 30 to 40 cm in Nagaur, Jodhpur, Churu and Jalor regions and more than 40 cm in Sikar, Jhunjhunun and Pali regions and along the western fringes of the Aravalli range. On the eastern side of the Aravalli range, the rainfall ranges from 55 cm in Ajmer to 102 cm in Jhalawar. In plains, Banswara (92.0 cm) and Jhalawar (95 cm) districts receive the maximum annual rain. Mount Abu (Sirohi district) in the south-west, however, receives the highest rainfall in the state (163.8 cm).

Those figures are per month and fairly low by most standards. So by my most practical standards, you certainly don't need malaria medication. Look at answers for 'Do I need malaria medication for Rajasthan in February?' - practically the same advice applies. If it reduces your anxiety, by all means go ahead though. Also of interest to you would be 'Can I buy malaria medication in India?'