Summary:
Malaria was first discovered in 1880 by Charles Louis Alphonse. In 1952 Malaria was eliminated in the United States. In 1955 the World Health Organization launched Global Eradication Campaign which excluded Sub-Saharan Africa. In 1996 bednets where proven effective in stopping malaria. 3.3 billion people were at risk of contracting malaria in 2010 and every year malaria causes 216 million new cases and 655,000 deaths. 30 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and 5 in Asia are where 98% of global malaria deaths take place. One-third of Malaria deaths have been cut over the last decade and cases have been reduced by 50%, however there are still many infected by the disease
Malaria Overview International Medical Corps:
“International Medical Corps is committed to fighting malaria worldwide through treatment, prevention and educational activities. We work to integrate anti-malaria programs into primary health care services and introduce new malaria protocols and drug combinations to combat the disease. For International Medical Corps, malaria control is not only vital for stopping this deadly disease, but also for improving child and maternal health and fostering resilient and self-reliant nations.”
“The World Health Organization estimates that 3.3 billion people were at risk of malaria in 2010. Every year, malaria causes about 216 million new cases and 655,000 deaths. With undeveloped or weakened immune systems, young children and pregnant women are most vulnerable to malaria.
Malaria flourishes in warm, tropical climates and disproportionately impacts poor countries. Thirty-five countries (30 in sub-Saharan Africa and 5 in Asia) account for 98% of global malaria deaths. In Africa, malaria is the second leading cause of death from infectious disease, after HIV/ AIDS. Every minute, a child in Africa dies as a result of the disease.
Some progress in combating this deadly disease has been made in large part due to heavy investments in malaria prevention as part of the UN’s Millennium Development Goal to have halted and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases. In Africa, malaria deaths have been cut by one third within the last decade; outside of Africa, 35 out of the 53 countries, affected by malaria, have reduced cases by 50% in the same time period.
Malaria is spread by mosquitoes infected with a parasite called Plasmodium, which in many parts of the world has developed resistance to malaria medicine. In humans, the parasite multiplies in the liver and infects red blood cells, which can disrupt blood flow to vital organs. Symptoms usually appear between 10 and 15 days after a mosquito bite and include fever, headache, chills and vomiting. These symptoms often get ignored or misdiagnosed; if left untreated, malaria can quickly become fatal.”
Information from World Health Organization
