Let's Stomp Out Malaria

April 25^th is World Malaria Day.  Most people around the world (including myself before I came to Zambia) are just not informed about malaria.   Malaria is the BIGGEST killer in the continent of Africa.  The World Health Organization reported in 2010, that 91% of deaths from Malaria around the world occurred in Africa.  Approximately 660,000 people died from malaria that year.  If you do the math, that is still almost 600,000 deaths in Africa due to the malaria parasite.  And most of those deaths, occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa.  Which hey, that is where I AM!  Zambia! Praise be praise be!

My catchment area of Siachitema, which consists of five villages, and one clinic, has 2,000 + people.  At my clinic, there is ALWAYS someone suffering from malaria.  Usually they do not come in until they are already in the later stages of the disease (which are pretty terrible).

 When I talk to villagers, most tell me they have had malaria AT LEAST one time in their life.  In fact most have had it SEVERAL times.  My host father Wesley has had it about 4 times, and my brother Eric has had it three times.  

Malaria is caused from a parasite transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito. That’s right, only the female mosquito can transmit the malaria parasite.  Interesting right? Anyways, malaria is transmitted first from a human to an insect, then to a human again through a bite.   The malaria parasite is transmitted into your blood, and then is stored in your liver. Usually, the female mosquito carrying the parasite does not come out until around 11pm.  Once bitten, you do not experience the malaria symptoms for about two weeks.

The symptoms of malaria usually present themselves somewhat like the common cold or flu.  First you may feel tired, some achiness, or a headache.  Suddenly, you find yourself in more pain then you have ever had the misfortune to experience.  Patients with malaria feel cold then hot or visa versa, experience extreme shaking, an excruciating headache, muscle pains, or all of these things at the same time.  The most deadly form of malaria is called ‘cerebral malaria’ which is caused by the Plasmodium Falciparum Parasite.    I personally have never seen this form of malaria, but it is usually fatal and presents itself like malaria but with more neurological symptoms.  

A few weeks ago at my clinic, I gave a malaria blood test to a young woman who happens to be a neighbor of mine.  She was shaking uncontrollably, crying, and just in tremendous pain.  Obviously she had malaria, and the test came back positive a few minutes later.   She was immediately given the treatment  of  ‘quinine,’ which helps reverse the effects of malaria.  I was happy to see her on the bushpath on my bike ride home from teaching English a couple days later.

This scenario is not uncommon.   In the village, some people do not get treated for malaria and unfortunately pass away.  Children under 5 years old, HIV infected people, and the elderly are more susceptible to being killed by malaria.  Left untreated, malaria can be fatal.  

The main reason people get malaria in my village is lack of education.   The main way to prevent getting malaria is sleeping protected under a mosquito net.   Mosquito nets were given out to EVERY family in my village a year ago by an NGO.   Sadly, villagers use them in inappropriate ways.  Instead of hanging them over their beds, they are used as fishing nets...

Unfortunately, people simply are uneducated about the causes of malaria.  Some people even believe witchcraft is the cause, or HIV, or eating an unripe mango.  It is so important, that villagers are educated about the true cause of malaria, and that they use their mosquito nets EVERY night.  I was so surprised to find even educated people in my village, NOT using their mosquito nets.   When I asked a teacher why she fails to use a mosquito net, she simply said malaria is part of being in Africa.  This is absolutely untrue; Malaria is totally preventable by getting under a mosquito net before 11pm daily and using mosquito repellants like DEET.  It is horribly frustrating when people have mosquito nets and do not use them properly! 

One of my focuses at my school is teaching malaria prevention through English instruction.  I hope somehow, I can make a difference in the way pupils in my school view malaria.  And hopefully, they can help spread the word to friends and family deep in the village.  I also hope to work more with my clinic in my free time, and work on strategies to inform members of the Siachitema community about malaria prevention.  Just giving mosquito nets out is not going to stop the malaria epidemic.  Education is a vital component of prevention of any disease.  

In North America, malaria has been eradicated since 1951.  So the thought of malaria has been wiped out from the American consciousness. Sure, Americans experience mosquito bites.  But it ends there.  Mosquito bites in America are itchy and uncomfortable, but they do not hurt you, cause you to get sick, or impact your family in any real way.  It is not like that for thousands of people around the world.  Malaria is a deadly problem that causes REAL destruction in the lives of countless people.  I only hope that more people are educated about this killer parasitic disease and think about what THEY can do to help prevent it!   Let’s STOMP OUT MALARIA! 

 stomp out malaria

Do you like Ed Helms?  Check this out :)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WcCV0uGqMVI

DISCLAIMER:  The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.