Malaria is still a killer (April, 2011)

Tonight 2,000 children will die from mosquito bites.

April 25th marks the fourth World Health Organization appointed World Malaria Day—a day to remember everyone effected by malaria and to rally support to end this entirely preventable disease by 2015. If you haven’t heard of malaria, it is because it hasn’t been around in the United States since 1950. It is also not the focus of most development campaigns. The reality of malaria, however, is that it presents one of the largest hurdles to any form of development today. Malaria kills 2,000 children a day, and even if it doesn’t kill it’s victims it leaves them weak and suffering without an opportunity to care for their dependents, work, or go to school. Malaria accounts for up to 30% of school absenteeism in the 106 countries it can still be found in, and consumes up to 40% of Africa’s public health infrastructure. 3 billion people have died from malaria—this is 83% of the population of the United States. 85% of these deaths are children under the age of five. Since the elimination of malaria in the United States in 1950 (the reason why we don’t think about it), an estimated 41 million have died from malaria. This is more than all world wars (20 million) AND HIV/AIDS (25 million).

All of these facts to say that this disease must be stopped. And we want it to be by 2015.

How do you get malaria? In the countries where malaria is still present, it is as easy as being bit by an infected mosquito. The mosquito carries a parasite called Plasmodium, which initially infects its victim’s liver and then carries into their red blood cells. Anyone can get malaria—a former Lee student and friend of mine, Nika Puffe, contracted malaria while doing her student teaching abroad in Ghana, Africa. Once bit, the disease is similar to the flu. The symptoms include a fever, headache and vomiting and start 10-15 days after the bite. If the disease is not treated at this point, it quickly becomes life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs. For many people in under-developed countries, the parasite advances too quickly through the body to even attempt to make it to a hospital or secure medication. Additionally, in many countries where malaria is prevalent, like sub-sahara Africa, the parasite is now resistant to a number of malaria medicines.

Do you want to make a difference? Preventing malaria is a simple as one little net. For every $6 treated bed net you buy, the lives of two children are saved. World Vision’s ACT:S national network explains, “More nets in more communities means fewer infected mosquitoes carrying the deadly malaria parasite, and fewer infected mosquitoes means fewer people at risk.” Preventing malaria can also happen on a national scale. Call or write your senator in order to urge them to continue to fund malaria prevention. You can do either of these easily on the ACT:S to End Malaria website: http://www.actstoendmalaria.org/

What can you do here at Lee? Our own chapter of World Vision ACT:S is hosting a corporate fast and time of prayer right after World Malaria Day (April 26-27) in order to pray about this disease and learn more about the issues it causes. If you are interested in participating, contact us at aoa.leeuniversity@gmail.com, or get ahold of me. We CAN end this preventable disease!

As my last column, I want to encourage you, through fighting malaria or whatever else you choose, to continue to learn about the world and the issues our brothers and sisters face. It is so important to know what is going on outside of our “Lee bubble” and the more we know, the better we act. Thanks so much for the opportunity to share my passions with you, and I hope that you can adopt some of these passions to share with others as your own! Keep in touch 😉