According to the World Bank statistics on the population at risk of malaria, approximately 3.3 billion people, or approximately half of the world’s population, are at risk of contracting this killer disease. Most of these cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa. (Population at Risk of Malaria | Data Catalog, n.d.).
In Kenya, there are an estimated 3.5 million new clinical cases and 10,700 deaths each year, and those living in Western Kenya have an especially high risk of malaria. (CDC – Malaria – Malaria Worldwide – CDC’s Global Malaria Activities – Kenya, 2018)
Every year, on April 25, the world comes together to raise awareness of malaria and to fight this deadly disease. Malaria is a mosquito-borne illness that can be fatal, especially for children under the age of five.
This year, the theme for World Malaria Day is ” Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate, and implement.” This is a call to action for all of us to work together to find new and innovative ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat malaria.
Eastlands College of Technology is committed to fighting malaria. We offer a variety of programs and initiatives to educate our students, staff, and community about malaria and to help them take steps to protect themselves from this disease.
We also support research into new and innovative ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat malaria. We believe that by working together, we can make a difference in the fight against this deadly disease.
Here are some things you can do to help fight malaria:
· Use insect repellent. This is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself from malaria. Use insect repellent that contains DEET or picaridin on all exposed skin, and reapply it as directed.
· Sleep under a mosquito net. Mosquito nets are one of the most effective ways to prevent malaria. If you are sleeping in an area where malaria is present, make sure to sleep under a mosquito net that is treated with insecticide.
· Get vaccinated. There is a vaccine available for malaria, but it is not 100% effective. If you are traveling to an area where malaria is present, talk to your doctor about getting the vaccine.
· Support research. There is still much that we do not know about malaria. By supporting research, we can help to find new and innovative ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat this deadly disease.
Together, we can make a difference in the fight against malaria.
References
Population at Risk of Malaria | Data Catalog. (n.d.). Population at Risk of Malaria | Data Catalog. https://datacatalog.worldbank.org/search/dataset/0039831