It Is World Malaria Day Today.

World Malaria Day is celebrated every year on April 25th. It is a chance to shine the spotlight on the global effort to control malaria - the challenges and responses.

The day was established in May 2007 by the 60th session of the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization. Its main focus is to provide "education and understanding of malaria" and spread information on "year-long intensified implementation of national malaria-control strategies, including community-based activities for malaria prevention and treatment in endemic areas."

Prior to the establishment of World Malaria Day, Africa Malaria Day was held on April 25 in 2001, one year after the historic Abuja Declaration was signed by 44 African malaria-endemic countries at the African Summit on Malaria.

Mosquitoes carry the parasite that causes malaria – passing it on through their night-time bites. Symptoms usually appear 9-14 days after infection and include fever, shivering, vomiting and other flu-like symptoms.

 Although malaria is treatable and preventable, it can be deadly. Control interventions can end millions of preventable childhood deaths and stop the economic losses caused by malaria.

Sadly, the lack of resources, coupled with a climate very hospitable to the deadliest strain of malaria, has made the disease a leading cause of death among African children.

The good news however, is that malaria is not contagious and it cannot be transmitted sexually.

Sleeping under long-lasting insecticide treated nets, early and accurate diagnosis and prompt access to effective treatment can help reduce the number of children and pregnant women who die every year from malaria in Africa. Indoor residual spraying is the most effective way to rapidly reduce malaria transmission.

There is evidence that when consistently and correctly used, insecticide treated nets can save six child lives per year for every one thousand children sleeping under them. 

Each year, Roll Back Malaria partners unite their advocacy efforts around a common World Malaria Day theme. “Invest in the future: defeat malaria” is the theme chosen for the next three years to call attention to the big push needed to reach the 2015 Millennium Development Goals and defeat malaria in the future.

There are just three years left to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Successful malaria control is critical to progress on all the health MDGs and will make a significant contribution to progress in other areas including reducing school absenteeism and fighting poverty.

It is essential to maintain focus and attention for the fight against malaria at this critical moment, including ensuring it is retained through the international development framework that will replace the Millennium Development Goals.

                                CHILLING FACTS ABOUT MALARIA

• Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes.

• Worldwide, malaria causes about 219 million illnesses and 660,000 deaths annually.

• Approximately half the world’s population is at risk of malaria. It is particularly deadly in Sub-Saharan Africa, where a mosquito-friendly climate, poor prevention methods and treatment have made it one of the biggest killers of young children.

• One child dies every sixty seconds from malaria.

• Ninety per cent of malaria deaths occur in Africa, where malaria accounts for about one in five of all childhood deaths.

• Malaria infects 350-500 million people each year, killing 1 million, mostly children. The disease contributes greatly to anemia among children — a major cause of poor growth and development.

• Malaria infection during pregnancy is associated with severe anemia and other illness in the mother and contributes to low birth weight among newborn infants. It is one of the leading risk factors for infant mortality and sub-optimal growth and development.

• Many children who survive an episode of severe malaria may suffer from learning impairments or brain damage.

• Malaria has serious economic impacts in Africa, slowing economic growth and development and perpetuating the vicious cycle of poverty. It is truly a disease of poverty — afflicting primarily the poor particularly those who live in malaria-prone rural areas.

• The disease is estimated to cost Africa about $12 billion per year in lost gross domestic product (GDP), slowing GDP growth by as much as 1.3 percent a year.

• Non-immune travelers from malaria-free areas are very vulnerable to the disease when they get infected.

• There are currently no licensed vaccines against malaria or any other human parasite.

Let’s all join in the fight to make Africa a malaria-free continent! Let us save lives and create a generation of healthy kids by ensuring a healthy start to life and ending preventable child deaths.

What are you waiting for? The fight starts NOW!

“Imagine Africa without Malaria…LET’S KICK MALARIA TO THE CURB NOW!”