India

World Malaria Day- End Malaria for Good

World Malaria Day- End Malaria for Good

Today is World Malaria Day. We all know that Malaria is a disease but we might not know that malaria is caused by biting of a mosquito.The theme for World Malaria Day this year is to end Malaria for Good. Malaria is caused due to the Plasmodium parasites which are carried by the Female – Anopheles mosquito. Out of five, two species of the parasite, P. falciparum and P. vivax, pose the greatest threat to human beings. Once the mosquito bites the person, the parasite enters the liver infecting the red blood cells. These begin to grow and reproduce in red blood cells until they swell and burst, releasing new parasites that infect more red blood cells. Once the parasites have infected the blood, the symptoms of malaria begin to appear.

According to World Health Organization in 2015, malaria prevailed in 91 countries. There were 212 million cases recorded and 429000 deaths. The statistics reveal that one child dies of malaria every two minutes. Between 2010 and 2015, the incidence of malaria fell by 21 percent globally; malaria mortality rates fell by 29% and by 35% among children under the age of 5.

In 2015, there were 212 million new cases of malaria and 429,000 deaths. Dr RVS Bhalla,Director of Internal Medicine in Fortis Escorts Hospital Faridabad and Dr Ajay Aggarwal the Director of Internal Medicine, Fortis Noida shared some essential steps to recognize the early symptoms and ways to tackle malaria

Early Symptoms of Malaria are
1.High fever (up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit) with shaking chills
2.Profuse sweating when the fever suddenly drops
3.Fatigue
4.Headache
5. Muscle aches
6.Abdominal discomfort
7.Nausea, vomiting
8. Feeling faint while standing or sitting up quickly
9. Confusion, drowsiness, seizure, coma
10 Low blood sugar
11.Jaundice
12.Decreased urine or Coca Cola coloured urine Diagnosis

Blood tests should be conducted to affirm

1.Levels of red blood cells
2.Platelets
3.Blood chemistry
4.Liver function
5.Kidney function

People at a higher risk of contracting Malaria are Infants (children under 5 years of age),Pregnant women, Patients with HIV/AIDS, Non-immune migrants,Mobile populations,Populations who reside in tropical humid environments, People who reside in unhygienic conditions i.e. near stale dirty water bodies

Some of the points to prevent Malaria are:

1.Use of mosquito coils
2.Spray mosquito repellents on skin
3.Screen windows and doors
4.Use Mosquito proof bed nets
5.Close windows during late evenngs and early mornings
6.Wear protective clothes such as long sleeves, shirts and avoid dar color clothes
7.Avoid dark coloured clothes
8.Remove of all sources of stagnant water

Malaria is a public health problem in several parts of the country.About 95% population in the country resides in malaria endemic areas and 80% of malaria reported in the country is confined to tribal, hilly, difficult and inaccessible areas. Directorate of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) under the Ministry of Health has framed technical guidelines/ policies and provides most of the resources for the programme. Indicators have been developed at national level for monitoring of the programme so that there is uniformity in collection, compilation and onward submissions of data which would be helpful in combating malaria at a larger level.

About the author

Priyanka sarangi

Journalist by profession, music lover by passion. Love to write and edit content on different topics of entertainment beat. Love to travel but only with my favorite people.