By: Arya Prindipolu
Cases of malaria have been prevented in Africa! Malaria is a life threatening disease that is transmitted to people through infected mosquitoes caused by parasites. Although Malaria is a serious disease it is preventable and curable as proven in Africa. 700 million cases have been prevented since 2000 in Africa.
Malaria has been prevented in a variety of ways. Bed nets helped prevent malaria proven by researchers from the University of Oxford who have estimated that 68% of the reduction of malaria was due to insecticide treated bed nets. Malaria has also been prevented by homes that have been sprayed with inside with insecticide. Along with the treatment, artemisinin, which is a drug that can help control Malaria. A first-line treatment has also been established, which is a combination therapy of several antimalarial drugs such as artemisinin. All of these interventions have helped prevent many cases of malaria.
Although many cases of malaria have been prevented there is still obstacles to overcome. Every minute a child dies from malaria in Africa. Drug resistance is one problem that has to be overcome. The insecticides do not affect some of the insects any more. In Southeast Asia there has even been resistance to the artemisinin. That resistance has not been spread to Africa though, so the drug still has a huge effect on controlling malaria in Africa. Despite the obstacles that still have to be overcome there has been huge success.
According to the World Health Organization 13 countries that had malaria in 2000 had no cases in 2014. Any cuts to funding malaria would lead to drastic consequences. Dr. Richard Kamwi said, “ I have seen some countries where elimination was almost in sight and when they stopped indoor spraying we have seen resurgence.” Now that there are ways to prevent malaria the efforts must be increased and driven forward instead of reduced in order to insure the elimination of malaria in Africa.
