World Malaria Day was established in May 2007 by WHO.
The theme for World Malaria Day 2020 is: “Zero malaria starts with me.”
Malaria is a disease without borders. But. its worst invasion is in Africa. Half of the malaria cases were found in 5 countries, Nigeria (25%), Democratic Republic of Congo (11%), Mozambique (5%), India (4%) and Uganda (4%).
It is estimated globally that 3.3 million people in 106 countries are at risk of malaria.
In 2015 the global tally reached 429,000 malaria deaths and 212 million new cases.
In 2017, approximately 219 million malaria cases were reported in 87 countries.
India has been historically endemic for both Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum malaria
India makes up over 75% of the total number of malaria cases in Southeast Asia
In 2016 over half of India’s population (698 million) was at risk of contracting malaria according to the World Malaria Report. It also reported that India accounted for 6% of the world’s malaria cases, 6% of deaths caused by the disease, and 51% of the global Plasmodium vivax malaria cases.
In 2017, India was placed 46th with a malaria death rate of 1.97 per 100,000 individuals.
In April 1953, the Government of India commenced the National Malaria Control Program. Quite significantly it helped to reduce the total number of malaria cases to around 2 million by 1958.
P. falciparum shows growing drug resistance. Multi-organ involvement/dysfunction is reported in both Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax cases.
Mosquitoes in the community can be controlled with the combination of multiple activities such as chemical and biological control.
Some Personal protective measures against mosquito bites:
- Use of mosquito repellent creams, liquids, coils, mats etc.
- Screening of the houses with wire mesh
- Use of bed nets pre-treated with insecticide
- Wearing clothes that cover maximum surface area of the body
- Environmental cleanliness. Stagnant water breeds mosquitoes. Hence, make sure surroundings are devoid of broken pots, tins, pits etc that collect water which can be breeding medium for mosquitoes.
- School children should be taught proper waste management with compost pits and cleanliness around buildings.
- Where water remains stagnant in pits or tanks, a few oil drops can help to avoid mosquito breeding.
Source: Compilation from Wikipedia