Millions upon millions of people in this world have been affected by malaria as the disease continues to trim the global population. There is, however, much work being done to battle the epidemic and as Monday is World Malaria Day, new efforts have been announced.
Luis Gomes Sambo from the World Health Organization, made the following statement this week:
“Malaria, by its complexity involving health as well as environmental and socioeconomic determinants and consequences, relates virtually to all…as it is well known, our part of the world is home to an estimated 795 million people exposed to malaria. Close to 90% of deaths due to malaria worldwide occur in Africa. … Therefore, progress in the fight against malaria in Africa is critical to reaching the ambitious targets set in the U.N. Secretary-General’s call for Universal Access to essential interventions, the AU Abuja Declaration and Plan of Action, Resolutions of WHO Governing Bodies and the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Global Malaria Action Plan (GMAP).”
Africa is certainly a focus and the hotspot for all eradication policies. Data however, remains to be a bit cloudy due to the inability to keep pace with this disease around the world.
The World Bank states the following facts:
“Over the past decade, 11 African countries have reduced confirmed malaria cases or malaria admissions and deaths by more than 50%. In all of them, Algeria, Botswana, Cape Verde, Eritrea, Madagascar, Namibia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zambia these decreases are linked with intense malaria control interventions.”
So in general, there is progress. As usual, awareness is very important.
Also according to the World Health Organization:
“Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. In the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver, and then infect red blood cells. Symptoms of malaria include fever, headache, and vomiting, and usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If not treated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs. In many parts of the world, the parasites have developed resistance to a number of malaria medicines. Key interventions to control malaria include: prompt and effective treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapies; use of insecticidal nets by people at risk; and indoor residual spraying with insecticide to control the vector mosquitoes.”
So mosquitos are the culprit of transmission primarily. Can we all get vaccinated perhaps? No one is really going to walk around with a mosquito net outfit on. Unfortunately, today a malaria vaccination has not been developed successfully though several malaria vaccinations are being tested and researched in labs around the world.
Very simply put, the mosquito transmits malaria sporozoites into the bloodstream. These first infect the liver cells. Here the sporozoites multiply for a few days and then tens of thousands of merozoites are released into the blood stream where they target the red blood cells. This cycle continues and gives rise to symptoms of malaria.
Malaria typically involves chills, fever, nausea, and even comatose state and death. Malaria has been affecting humans for thousands of years. In fact, it was as early as 1880 when the parasite responsible for malaria was identified.
Each year, about 1-3 million deaths, and nearly 400-900 million cases of fever due to malaria are identified. Malaria is now considered to be an endemic and nearly 85-90% of deaths due to malaria occur in Africa. In this situation, a malaria vaccination would seem to be the best way to protect a large number of people against malaria.
Sources: The Kaiser Family Foundation, The World Bank
and The World Health Organization
Written by Sy Kraft