Because of Ebola forget Malaria kills hundreds of thousands every year

Malaria: hundreds of thousands dead each year

The Ebola epidemic, which is rampant in West Africa, has pushed the public's dangers of malaria into the background. Yet hundreds of thousands of people still die every year from mosquito-borne infectious disease. Most of them in Africa.

Every minute, a child under the age of five dies of malaria
In Africa, every minute a child under the age of five dies of malaria. That makes about 1,400 deaths per day, which would be easily avoided, according to relief organizations. "Malaria can be protected easily and inexpensively, and it can also be cured," said expert Valentina Buj from the Unicef ​​children's organization, according to a news agency dpa. However, nearly 600,000 people are still dying each year as a result of the bite of the Anopheles mosquito. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) about 90 percent of it is in sub-Saharan Africa.

Millions of people can not afford medication
In the most populous state of Africa, in Nigeria, many millions of people have no money for mosquito nets, medicines or a doctor. "When we came home from school, my sister Mayowa suddenly had a headache and a fast-rising fever," said Tomiwa Oladipo from Dutse Alhaji, a suburb of the capital Abuja, according to dpa. "My parents could not afford the recommended medicine, so they gave them local herbs," says the 29-year-old. "Then she died." The girl was only ten years old.

Malaria was forgotten because of Ebola
By focusing on the rampant Ebola disease in West Africa, the far more plaguing malaria attack was forgotten. WHO sets ambitious targets for World Malaria Day on 25 April: By the year 2030, the number of malaria cases and deaths is expected to fall by 90 percent. For this, about 5.1 billion US dollars (4.8 billion euros) would have to be available each year for the fight against malaria. In 2013, it was only $ 2.7 billion. With a new campaign, Unicef ​​now aims to expand the medical malaria prophylaxis in pregnant women. "The necessary medicines cost less than half a dollar per mother", explained the expert Buj.

Nigeria holds sad world record
The malaria pathogen is transmitted via stabs of the female Anopheles mosquito. The disease, which is associated with high fever, is one of the deadliest infectious diseases ever. In addition to the high temperature, there are also symptoms such as chills and discomfort of the gastrointestinal tract, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Although malaria can be cured, many patients die because of a lack of medical care. A preventive vaccine does not exist so far. Nigeria holds a sad world record: in the state with around 178 million inhabitants, there are estimated to be around 100 million malaria diseases each year, killing more than 300,000 people. About two thirds of the population live in poverty, the health system is underfunded and overstrained.

Over three billion people live in risk areas
Although aid agencies and the government are trying to provide each family with an insecticide-treated mosquito net, this must also be accompanied by educational campaigns. "I do not use the mosquito net," said Aisha Mohammed, a 32-year-old trader from a suburb of Abuja. During pregnancy, they got one from the government. "But I'm reacting to the chemicals, and that's how hot it gets," the mother of two explained apologetically. According to the WHO, around 280 million people in Africa have no adequate mosquito net in their home. According to the organization, 3.3 billion people worldwide live in malaria risk areas. Since prophylaxis and medical treatment are significantly better in wealthier Asia and Latin America, the lion's share of malaria diseases is in Africa. However, experts also see reason for joy. The number of infections and deaths has fallen sharply since the millennium thanks to better prevention and treatment. Unicef ​​estimates that there have been approximately 670 million fewer malaria illnesses since 2001 and that 4.3 million lives have been saved. Of these, around 3.9 million were African children. (Ad)

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Image: Maurus Völkl