Health Watch: Malaria - An Unyielding Pandemic

Malaria is an ongoing pandemic in Nigeria. Sometimes, I think that some people enjoy taking herbal tonics to treat the ailment. It's not that they go around singing that it's fun to take the often bitter tasting medication. But the fear of a feverish night is good consideration to visit the doctor. What is malaria and how do people contract the disease?

Malaria is a multimillion naira yielding disease industry in Nigeria. This is, of course, a joke rather than fact except that it's a very serious illness that accounts for more deaths in Sub Saharan Africa than other places of the world. Children are most susceptible to the mosquito-borne infectious disease. In many parts of Africa, the Anopheles mosquitoes is the culprit that transmits the plasmodium parasite to its victims.

As the rains come, mosquitoes either thrive in or are washed away from the gutters. If there is stagnant water or ponds around residential areas, mosquitoes breed in such environment ready to do harm. The signs and symbols of malaria, which begin usually between one week to a month following infection includes high fever with its attendant fatigue. Malaria is not usually reported to health personnel in many cases and some people resort to taking local medication. Prolonged untreated malaria could lead to cerebral malaria that affects the nerve endings and brain and may lead to madness and death.

In order to avoid being bitten by infected mosquitoes, do the following:

• Keep your environment free of stagnant water.
• Ensure that your gutters and drains are unclogged to ensure free flow of waste water and rainwater.
• Use screen or nets on your doors and windows.
• Cover your babies and young ones with cotton cloth especially when they sleep at night.
• Use treated mosquito nets. Visit your health centre for one or buy one from the store.
• Spray mosquito repellent and do not use it close to babies and young children.
• Visit your doctor whenever you have a prolonged fever of over 48 hours.
• Do not buy malaria medication without a prescription. 
• Purchasing over the counter malaria drugs may be common practice but avoid doing it.