AFRICA ( Commonwealth Union) _ The world has been plagued by malaria for a long time, especially in Africa. Nigeria has been hardest hit and continues to have the highest malaria infection rate in the world. Its eradication has not been particularly successful. But there is hope that the disease will eventually be completely eradicated thanks to new technology and vaccines.
The main malaria vectors are female Anopheles mosquitoes. They spread the illness to people. Where there is standing water, an unclean, moist environment, and blocked drainage systems, these mosquitoes can breed. Because more people put more strain on sanitary services, Nigeria’s large population also promotes mosquito breeding.
The condition manifests as a high fever and flu-like symptoms. These could result in absenteeism from work or school or even death. The disease of malaria threatens about 3.3 billion people worldwide in 106 nations. 95% of all malaria cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), are thought to occur in the African continent.
The WHO noted that this year’s World Malaria Day, which will be observed on April 25, 2023, concentrated on spreading awareness about the need to use the current tools and approaches to reach those who are still unreached throughout the Western Pacific, which face obstacles on the path to malaria eradication.
Despite these, it is claimed that the number of malaria deaths in the area has dropped by 88 percent over the past 20 years. China was declared malaria-free by the WHO in 2021, while Malaysia apparently recorded zero instances of human malaria for the fourth year in a row. Algeria and even Mauritius were declared malaria-free in 1973 and 2019, respectively.
Keeping our environment clean is the best method to fight sickness. We need to clean out our gutters, mow the grass around us, and get rid of the Anopheles mosquitoes that spread sickness. Nets coated with insecticides should be used more frequently. Self-medication should also be avoided by people. Of course, not everyone can afford the price of malaria medications. However, in order to prevent complications, efforts must be made to seek medical guidance and treatment for malaria.
This is why it’s crucial that the government pays for the disease’s treatment to make it accessible to those who can least afford it. Algeria’s success in eliminating malaria now can be attributed in part to what it did. Additionally, the government should provide access to Primary Health Centers (PHCs), where poor citizens can receive medical care. Additionally, it should consider vector control and making malaria treatment free for all children in public hospitals. Government should collaborate with private organizations in all of these. This will significantly lessen the impact of malaria in Nigeria.
The R21 malaria vaccine developed by Oxford University recently received reported conditional approval, which is a positive development. The vaccination reportedly reduces the frequency of severe malaria, especially in children aged five months to 36 months. There should be an effort to start administering the vaccine as soon as feasible.
We applaud Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, for its recent publication of a white paper outlining the steps that governments, vaccine producers, and health organizations must follow to achieve the objective of providing the first malaria vaccine in the world.
