Cholera Vaccine in Portsmouth
Oral cholera vaccine for travellers heading to outbreak areas, longer-stay travel and aid work. Two-dose course at Gunwharf Travel Clinic.
Oral cholera vaccine — for travel to outbreak and high-risk areas
Cholera is a bacterial illness spread through contaminated food and water. Most healthy travellers on standard tourist itineraries face a low risk — but the picture changes for longer stays, aid and humanitarian work, travel during active outbreaks, or visits to areas with limited sanitation infrastructure. The oral cholera vaccine (Dukoral) is a two-dose course given 1–6 weeks apart.
Abdullah Seyed (MPharm, GPhC reg. 2211356) leads day-to-day clinical practice at Gunwharf Travel Clinic. Merali Pharmacy, operating the clinic, is GPhC-registered (premises 1099145). The cholera vaccine isn't free on the NHS for standard tourist travel — it's privately funded everywhere in the UK.
We can complete the full two-dose course in one of our 30-minute appointments per dose, or coordinate the second dose around your travel dates. Bring previous vaccination records if you have them.
UK travel health guidance from TravelHealthPro recommends vaccination for aid workers, healthcare staff in outbreak areas, and travellers to active outbreak zones. The vaccine also offers some cross-protection against ETEC traveller's diarrhoea — which makes it appealing to longer-stay travellers even outside formal cholera-risk areas.
Lead pharmacist at Merali Pharmacy, operating Gunwharf Travel Clinic on Queen Street, Portsea. GPhC-registered (reg. 2211356), travel-medicine trained, working under UK regulatory standards.
About cholera and the vaccine
Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, spread through contaminated drinking water or food. Most cases produce mild diarrhoeal illness but severe infection can cause life-threatening dehydration within hours. The oral cholera vaccine, Dukoral, is licensed in the UK for both adults and children aged 2 and over.
Who should consider the cholera vaccine?
UK travel health guidance from TravelHealthPro recommends cholera vaccination primarily for aid workers, healthcare staff working in outbreak zones, and travellers to areas with active cholera outbreaks. Most standard tourist travel is low risk. The vaccine is also considered for longer-stay travellers, those visiting areas with limited sanitation infrastructure, and travellers with chronic conditions that make severe dehydration particularly dangerous.
How the cholera vaccine works
Dukoral is taken orally, mixed in water in the clinic. It's a two-dose course given 1–6 weeks apart, with protection beginning approximately one week after the second dose. For adults and children aged 6 and over, the standard course is two doses; children aged 2–5 take a three-dose course with smaller volumes. Protection lasts around two years for adults and three months for children under 6, after which a booster is considered for ongoing risk.
Cross-protection against traveller's diarrhoea
One useful side benefit of the cholera vaccine is partial cross-protection against enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), one of the leading causes of traveller's diarrhoea. This isn't a primary indication and protection is modest, but it's a relevant consideration for longer-stay travellers heading somewhere with variable food and water standards. We'll talk through whether the cross-protection is meaningful for your route.
What to expect at your appointment
Cholera vaccination at Gunwharf Travel Clinic takes around 20–30 minutes for the first appointment. We confirm your itinerary, current risk, any contraindications, and previous immunisations. You then take the oral dose mixed in water in the clinic — you'll need to drink it within two hours of mixing, and avoid eating or drinking for one hour before and after. The second dose is given 1–6 weeks later. Mild side effects — abdominal discomfort, nausea — sometimes occur in the first day or two.
Worth considering before travel to
Cholera vaccination is most relevant for travellers heading to areas with active outbreaks or with extended exposure to limited sanitation. Some destinations we see regularly where it's worth discussing:
- Ethiopia — periodic outbreaks
- Nigeria — rainy-season outbreaks
- Ghana
- Tanzania
- Kenya
- Cambodia
- Philippines — post-typhoon outbreaks
- Saudi Arabia (Hajj & Umrah) — mass-gathering context
How to book in Portsmouth
Book online at gunwharftravelclinic.co.uk/booking or call 02392 821859. Gunwharf Travel Clinic is at 24 Queen Street, Portsea, Portsmouth PO1 3HN — inside Merali Pharmacy. Same-day appointments are routinely available. We're walking distance from Gunwharf Quays and Portsmouth & Southsea station.
Everything you need in one appointment
Two-dose oral course, no injection. We coordinate timing around your travel dates.
Pre-vaccination consultation
Brief review of your itinerary, current cholera risk and previous immunisations — plus discussion of whether the cross-protection against traveller's diarrhoea is relevant.
Dukoral oral vaccine
Oral suspension, mixed in water and taken in the clinic. No injection needed. Children from age 2.
Two-dose course
Doses given 1–6 weeks apart. Protection from one week after the second dose.
Travel-health summary
Written record of vaccination for your insurance, employer or border officials if requested.
Cross-protection bonus
Some protection against ETEC traveller's diarrhoea — useful for longer trips with variable food and water.
Children from age 2
Dukoral is licensed for adults and children aged 2 and over. Parent or guardian present for under-16s.
Two oral doses, 1–6 weeks apart. Same-day starts available.
Three steps from booking to fully vaccinated.
Book the first dose
Pick a slot at gunwharftravelclinic.co.uk/booking. We'll send a short pre-appointment form so we're ready when you arrive.
First dose taken in clinic
Abdullah confirms suitability, then you take the oral dose mixed in water in the clinic. 20–30 minute appointment.
Second dose 1–6 weeks later
Book your second dose to complete the course. Protection starts one week after the second dose.
Thirty minutes from arrival to vaccinated.
What actually happens when you walk through the door at 24 Queen Street.
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On Queen Street, Portsea. Walking distance from Gunwharf Quays.
24 Queen Street, Portsea,
Portsmouth PO1 3HN
In the city · Walk or short drive
We're on Queen Street in Portsea, two minutes from Gunwharf Quays and walking distance from Portsmouth & Southsea station. The Hard Interchange is around the corner.
Common cholera vaccine questions
Who needs the cholera vaccine?
NHS travel advice (NaTHNaC) lists aid workers, healthcare staff in outbreak areas, and travellers to active outbreak zones as the main groups. Longer-stay travellers and those visiting areas with limited sanitation may also choose to vaccinate. Most short-stay tourist travel is low-risk.
How is the vaccine given?
Cholera vaccine (Dukoral) is oral — mixed in water and drunk in the clinic. No injection needed. Two doses are given 1–6 weeks apart.
How long does protection last?
Around two years for adults and three months for children under 6. A booster dose may be considered for ongoing travel to risk areas.
Does it protect against traveller's diarrhoea?
Partially. The vaccine offers some cross-protection against enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) — a common cause of traveller's diarrhoea — but it's not a primary indication. Some longer-stay travellers find this useful as a bonus.
Is it free on the NHS?
For most travellers no — cholera vaccination for standard tourist travel is private everywhere in the UK. NHS funding is sometimes available through GP practices for specific aid-worker postings or active outbreak zones; check with your practice.
Can children have it?
Yes, from age 2. Children aged 2–6 take the two-dose course with a different volume from adults.
What about side effects?
Side effects are usually mild — abdominal discomfort, nausea or mild diarrhoea in the first day or two. Severe reactions are rare.
Where can I get the cholera vaccine in Portsmouth?
Gunwharf Travel Clinic, 24 Queen Street, Portsea, Portsmouth PO1 3HN — inside Merali Pharmacy. Walking distance from Gunwharf Quays and Portsmouth & Southsea station. Pay-and-display parking on Queen Street.
From Portsmouth to 24 Queen Street
We're on Queen Street in Portsea, two minutes from Gunwharf Quays and walking distance from Portsmouth & Southsea station. The Hard Interchange is around the corner.
Pharmaceutical
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Book your cholera vaccination.
Same-day slots, two-dose course coordinated around your trip.
- TravelHealthPro — Cholera factsheet (accessed 2026-05-20)
- NHS — Cholera vaccine overview (accessed 2026-05-20)
- UK Health Security Agency — Green Book chapter 14: Cholera (accessed 2026-05-20)
- GPhC — Register entry — Abdullah Seyed (2211356) at Merali Pharmacy (accessed 2026-05-20)
Information on this page is general guidance from Gunwharf Travel Clinic, operated by Merali Pharmacy (GPhC premises 1099145). Cholera vaccination is recommended on a case-by-case basis depending on your travel itinerary, activities and medical history.
