Malaria facts!

Following on from my blog about mosquitoes, I thought I'd follow it up with the facts about malaria.  I have seen malaria make a fit and healthy little boy look like he was at death's door.  I know how quickly it can make someone become unwell and can even take their life.  It is a cruel disease but one that is treatable and preventable.  So there is a positive side to this blog, it's not all doom and gloom.

Did you know...............
Half the world’s population is at risk of malaria?

781,000 people die of malaria every year!
That in itself is a scary statistic but lets make it even more real!

• A child dies every 45 seconds of malaria.

Malaria No More UK is a current campaign to reduce malaria deaths.  All the facts in this blog have been taken from their website and the photos are also in relation to their campaigns.  So here are some more facts for you to mull over.......

• Over 90% of the 781,000 malaria deaths are in Africa
• 8% of all children who die before their fifth birthday die of malaria
• 40% of public health spending in some African countries affected by malaria is spent on the disease
• Malaria costs Africa over £8 billion a year in lost economic output
• It is estimated that up to 200,000 newborns die each year as a result of malaria in pregnancy and malaria can cause anaemia and death for pregnant women
• 40% of drug expenditure in affected countries is spent on malaria drugs

The good news, like I said earlier, is that malaria is preventable and treatable.  So far the successes have been: 

• Since 2000, over one third of the 108 malarious countries have reduced the number of malaria cases by more than 50%
• Household net ownership reached more than 50% in 19 malarious African countries in 2010
• £5 is enough to buy, deliver and hang a mosquito net for a family in Africa, helping protect two people from malaria.

Malaria is cruel because it is mainly prevalent in the poorest of communities in the world.  The areas where £5 for a net may be more than a family can afford.  If it's a choice of feeding your family tonight or buying a net, what choice do you make?  I guess for some, taking the risk of malaria is the only thing they can do.  How sad is that?  I mean, £5!  I'm guessing this is less than we would think of spending on most Christmas gifts???

And so......Prevention is Paramount.

Organisations like Malaria No More UK and other organisations are able to hand out mosquito nets to the most vulnerable.  Mosquito nets are the first line of defence against the deadly bite of a malarial mosquito.  It’s estimated that when 80% of people sleep under a net, the entire community is protected.

But it's no good having a net if you don't know how to use it.  So education is also key.  Knowledge is power.  Mosquito nets are no use if they lie under beds or used for other purposes, they won’t prevent malaria.  If people understand how they should use them consistently and properly, the malaria rates will go down.

Malaria testing can now be carried out in many local clinics to get people treated faster.  Again this comes down to charities raising the money needed to offer this service to all. 
And along with sprays and medication, malaria can be successfully treated and/or prevented. 

If you've been phoning in to I'm a Celebrity to vote for your favourite, then you've helped Malaria No More UK raise some extra funds for the excellent work they do.  If you haven't, why not add them to your Christmas list and donate £5?  It could be a life saving Christmas present.