Malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa Essay

Brian, G, Y., Greenwood, D, A., Fidock, Dennis, E, K., Stefan, H, I. Kappe, P., Alonso, L., Frank, H and Collins, P (2008) “Malaria progress and prospects for eradication.” Journal Clinical Investiment. 118: 1266-1276.

Malaria (also called biduoterian fever, blackwater fever, falciparum malaria, plasmodium, Quartan malaria, and tertian malaria) is one of the most infectious and most common diseases in the world. This serious, sometimes-fatal disease is caused by a parasite that is carried by a certain species of mosquito called the Anopheles. It claims more lives every year than any other transmissible disease except tuberculosis. Every year, five hundred million adults and children (around nine percent of the world’s population) contract the disease and of these, one hundred million people die. Children are more susceptible to the disease than adults, and in Africa, where ninety percent of the world’s cases occur and where eighty percent of the cases

Background - Malaria is a water borne disease. It is spread by a parasite-carrying mosquito. It kills many people and reduces a country 's capacity to develop. There are different strategies to combat malaria. Around half the population is at risk of malaria and this disease is active in 106 counties across Africa, Asian and the Americas (see source 3). the global annual mortality from malaria is between 1.5 - 3 million deaths, or between 4000 and 8000 each day. Developing countries are most vulnerable to Malaria and as shown on source 2 Malaria has been spread across many various other countries including in Europe, but these countries have eradicated Malaria.

First of all, an increase in the use of insecticide-treated bed nets has reduced malaria. Approximately 60% of children under age five and 55% of pregnant women now sleep under mosquito nets, up from only 9 per cent in 2001. Nearly 3 million nets were retreated with insecticide in 2005. In addition, treatments for malaria are becoming more accessible. The Malawi Ministry of Health’s National Malaria Control Program has been able to scale up the distribution of artemisinin-based combination therapies and intermittent preventive treatment for pregnant women. Because of all the prevention efforts and treatments, the incidence of Malaria has decreased over time. For example, Malaria incidence in 2015 was 386 per 1000 population representing a 20% reduction from 484 per 1000 in 2010. Also, the number of deaths due to Malaria has lessened from 5.6% to 3.4% in 2004 and 2009. Eventually, malaria will no longer one of the biggest killers in

In Kenya, an African country that is affected by Plasmodium falciparum, the most aggressive of the four species of malaria, the negative economic impact of malaria can be clearly seen. Malaria-related GDP losses reached 2-6% of the total economic output of the country, with 58% of those losses being in the agricultural sector and 7% in the industrial sector (Chima, 2003). When workers or their children contract malaria, they are unable to go to work, work effectively, or spend money on things other than treatment (Chima, 2003). In other words, malaria acts as a drain on both the productivity of a country, as often there is no other person available to take the place of the absent worker. Furthermore, the costs of finding alternates to replace workers who have fallen ill, or must take care of their children is placed squarely on the shoulders of businesses, while the individual who contracted malaria, or must care for someone who has malaria is unable to both earn money for their absent days, as well as spend money in areas other than the treatment of malaria, thus stimulation only a small portion of the economy, and effectively blocking the circulation of funds in the economy to their fullest extent (Chima, 2003).

Malaria has been a huge problem among many developing nations over the past century. The amount of people in the entire world that die from malaria each year is between 700,000 and 2.7 million. 75% of these deaths are African children (Med. Letter on CDC & FDA, 2001). 90% of the malaria cases in the world are located in Sub-Saharan Africa. Once again, the majority of these deaths are of children (Randerson, 2002). The numbers speak for themselves. Malaria is a huge problem and needs to be dealt with immediately.

Ninety percent of all malaria deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa, which is the location and region of where this issue affects. In a concentrated effort to treat malaria since 2000, 700 million cases have been stopped in Africa, bringing the number of cases down by almost fifty percent. This pleasant news is the result of human interaction. Since the introduction of bed nets, malaria death rates have dropped by sixty percent, saving six million lives. All this progress has to be credited to the scientists who got notified by their respective countries when deaths constantly occur in a certain area through communication. Shortly after getting notified, the researchers travel to sub-Saharan Africa, which requires movement, to analyze the situation

Malaria is considered one of the most serious and life-threatening public health problems in the world. According to World Health Organization, more than 3 billion people live in areas classified as being at risk from malaria, with nearly 200 million cases.1 Approximately, 750,000 deaths occur every year, primarily among children, due to malaria and its complications.1 Children less than 5 years of age are more vulnerable to be affected by malaria.2 In 2015, about 438,000 malaria deaths were reported, of which estimated 69% were children under 5 years of age.2

This happens to contain some of the most destitute regions of the world including Sub-Saharan Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa was home to 89% of malaria cases and 91% of malaria deaths. Increased prevention and control measures have led to a 60% reduction in malaria mortality rates globally since 2000.

It has been estimated that 609 million people in Africa are at risk of having malaria (Mabaso et al 2007, p. 35). Almost 34% of the populations in Zambia live in endemic risk areas, while 48% of the populations are in epidemic risk (Guerra et al., 2008, p.54; WHO

In areas where malaria thrives, human populations have been known to suffer in its clutches. Malaria is a tropical disease that causes thousands of deaths worldwide. However, a majority of malaria cases and deaths occur in Sub-Saharan Africa. The prevalence of malaria in African countries places a heavy burden on its people and affects all aspects of society. Considered both a consequence and a fundamental cause of poverty, malaria has a host of negative effects that hinder the growth and well-being of the African population.

Malaria has become a common name throughout the world. While significant efforts have been made since antimalarial treatments in the 1940’s, the disease still continues as an endemic around the globe. Malaria is a global public health issue, with epidemiological methods of tracking patterns, causes, and effects of health outcomes to continuously work toward protecting and saving lives. While current interventions have impacted the rates of malaria, advances have been made to include spatial targeting for predicting risk in certain locations, methods of using microbes to eliminate mosquito prevalence, and opportunities for vaccines to reduce incidence rates can be promising practices to reduce the

Malaria claims more lives than any other communicable disease except tuberculosis. Over 200 million cases worldwide are reported each year. According to the World Health Organization Research, Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the parasite plasmodium (WHO, 2011). It is a life-threatening disease transmitted through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito. Unfortunately, an estimated death toll of 1 million African children is reported. Thus this paper will aim to further define this condition while describing clinical manifestations and preventive

von Seidlein L et al. discusses the changes in malaria incidence recorded at a single site in Africa over 25 years, along with future implications for disease prevention.

Each year over 30 million women become pregnant in Africa (Richard 1996), with most living in areas of stable malaria transmission. This majority of women infected the malaria risk of maternal anemia and delivering a low birth weight (LBW) baby. I will focus on the impact of malaria during pregnancy and subsequent infant mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. This reviews aim is to investigate the impact of malaria during pregnancy on low birth weight (LBW) in sub-Saharan Africa with various levels of malaria transmission.