“The vaccine is a significant step in eradicating a disease which has killed more than 409 000 in 2019, but vaccine hesitancy presents problems for the roll out in sub-Saharan Africa, writes Amanda Coakley” https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/malaria-africa-vaccine-b1936130.html
Africa Welcomes New Malaria Vaccine as a “Game Changer”
“African health officials are optimistic that the world’s first malaria vaccine endorsed by the World Health Organization will “dramatically change” the way the continent of 1.3 billion people fights the disease” “The Mosquirix malaria vaccine, which GlaxoSmithKline has been working on since 1987, has limited efficacy of about 30% in preventing severe malaria and comes […]
Prevention from Malaria
“Since malaria is transmitted through the bite of the Anopheles mosquito, environmental conditions are paramount in understanding malaria vulnerabilities” (Austin 2019). Anopheles mosquitoes thrive in temperate climates around the equator where it is warm and humid. “As mosquitoes represent the disease vector for malaria, malaria vulnerabilities are deeply connected to environmental conditions. Even seemingly minor […]
Sub-Saharan Africa- High Risk due to Climate
In many temperate areas, such as western Europe and the United States, economic development and public health measures have succeeded in eliminating malaria. However, most of these areas have Anopheles mosquitoes that can transmit malaria, and reintroduction of the disease is a constant risk. Nineteen countries in sub-Saharan Africa and India carried almost 85% of the global malaria […]
The Danger of Unregulated Pharmacies & Fake Medicines
Despite the huge number of malaria cases and deaths annually in Africa, there is huge reason to believe that there is massive underreporting. It is estimated that 80% of malaria deaths go unreported (Shah 2010). “While government officials report declines in malaria, local community members perceive marked increases, and furthermore, connect heightened malaria prevalence to […]
Malaria is a Smart Parasite
When the malaria-causing Plasmodium parasite first slips into the human bloodstream, injected by the bite of an infected mosquito, it does not immediately target red blood cells. Instead, it seeks refuge inside the liver and rapidly reproduces, copying itself as many as 30,000 times in the span of 48 hours. After building strength in numbers, the […]
What is Malaria?
Malaria is a disease that causes a high fever, chills, and muscle pain. You can get it from a bite from an infected mosquito. Malaria is very rare in the United States. It’s most often found in Africa, Southern Asia, Central America, and South America. Symptoms may come and go in cycles. Malaria may also […]