25th of April every year is a day set aside to commemorate World malaria day, where there are discussions on efforts and ways towards #EndMalaria are re-assessed.
But how much do we really know about this killer disease and hot to control it? In fact, a study found that about 50% of a study population in Nigeria do not have proper knowledge mode of transmission of malaria 1. I thus decided to write this short brief for enlightenment purpose about this endemic disease in most tropical region of the world and particularly in Africa
Malaria is a serious disease caused by the blood-parasite Plasmodium and carried from one person to another by female Anopheles mosquitoes. These mosquitoes feed on blood (could be that of man or any other animal) because they are in need of it for nutrients to develop their eggs.
The parasites got introduced into the system of the animal (human in this case) when the mosquito is feeding and trying to blow out its mouth part (called proboscis). They then infect the red blood cells (they go inside the cells and multiply) and to escape they burst the red blood cells.
This leads to destruction of red blood cells and subsequently anaemia (or blood loss) and other asscociated effects such as fever, headache and in devasting conditions, death.
Africa and Malaria
Africa houses an estimated 90% of all malaria cases in 2016 2 with Nigeria having the highest burden in the region and 27% of the global disease burden 2,3. The disease has been implicated in 30% childhood mortality, 11% maternal mortality, 60% hospital attendance and 30% hospital admission in Nigeria 4.
The health impact and economic consequences of malaria on infected population in particular and the global world in general is quite enormous. The World Health Organization reported an estimated 438,000 deaths in 2015 from malaria 3 and the economic loss to the continent is even more with malaria contributing to the loss of US$12 billion from the continent’s economy annually
That is 12 times the current market cap of the STEEM
However, with renewed global efforts targeted at control of the diseases, the continent have witnessed a 20% reduction in rate of incidence and 66% drop in malaria related death 3 and is on-course to elimination of the disease.
The good news is that unlike some diseases, malaria is both preventable and treatable. The choice drug for the treatment of malaria is Artemisinin-based combination therapy and malaria can be prevented by combination of approaches including Insecticide treated net, indoor-residual spraying, intermittent preventive treatment for pregnant women and improve sanitation and hygiene to reduce mosquito breeding sites.
To conclude, here are 10 facts about malaria you may likely not know
- Malaria kills a child in every 2 minutes
- Malaria exists in 91 countries in the world
- Nigeria has the highest burden of global malaria
- Only female mosquitoes transmit malaria
- Young children under 5 years and pregnant women are the most vulnerable
- ~50% of the world’s population, 3.4 billion people are at risk of malaria disease
- Mosquitoes can be found in every part of the world, but malaria is not in every part of the world
- You can have malaria via blood transfusion if the blood is infected with the parasites
- A pregnant woman can transmit malaria to her unborn child and this can seriously harm the baby
- YouYou Tu who discovered the drug Artemisinin won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2015 for her work and is the first Chinese National to do so.
References
- Adeniran, A.A. (2011) Access and Utilization of Malaria Intervention and control tools in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State (BSc. Project, submitted to the Department of Pure and Applied Zoology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
- World Health Organization, 2017 World Malaria Report 2017 Available at https://reliefweb.int/report/world/world-malaria-report-2017
- World Health Organisation. 2015. World Malaria Report Summary http://www.who.int/malaria/
publications/world-malariareport-2015/report/en/ - Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH). 2007. National Frame work for monitoring and Evaluation of Malaria Control in Nigeria, FMoH, Abuja.