Globally observed on the 25th of April every year is the World Malaria Day. The theme of this year being “Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate, implement”. Initiated by the World Health Organization during the World Health Assembly in 2007, the event is to further raise awareness on Malaria around the world.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defined Malaria as “…an acute febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites, which are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.”
Common in tropical countries although Malaria is a life threatening disease, the World Health Organization emphasized that the illness is preventable and curable.
Studies from WHO stated that a devastating 619 thousand deaths in 2021 were caused by Malaria alone, with 3.3 billion people in 106 countries are at risk of being affected by the illness.
While groups of people vulnerable to the disease may include people entering areas with intense malaria transmission without ever receiving some form of immunization against the disease such as mobile populations or travellers, those at a higher risk are infants, children below the age of five, pregnant women and patients with HIV/AIDS.
Papua New Guinea is one such country that has been continuously afflicted with this life threatening disease.
“200 to 300 people of PNG die of Malaria every year.” Chairman for Rotarian Against Malaria (RAM), Rio Fiocco stated recently at an event held in commemoration of the World Malaria Day.
Fiocco emphasized that on Malaria being preventable, advising that people should take preventive measures against the disease seriously.
Avoiding mosquito-infested areas, using mosquito repellent when outdoors and sleeping under mosquito nets were some of the measures the chairman made mention of.
“It is treatable; get tested early and complete treatment,” he added.
RAM’s Program Manager, Tim Freeman, shared similar sentiments during the mentioned event stressed that the public should look out for symptoms like Fever, headache and body ache, and immediately seek medical attention when such arises.
Freeman expressed that like Africa, the region currently leading with Malaria confirmed cases, the illness is a big problem for PNG.
“We must be careful with Malaria,” he stated.
To commemorate World Malaria Day in Port Moresby, a walk for life took place on Sunday from 5:30 am to 8:30 am from Sir Hubert Murray Stadium to Ela Beach.
The event saw participation from youths of the Bushwara Settlement, and organizers like the Rotarian Against Malaria, the National Department of Health, and the World Health Organization are to name a few.
So far efforts in doing awareness on the illness on a global scale has shown positive outcome as WHO recently reported that most malaria endemic countries in the Western Pacific Region have been very successful at reducing malaria cases and deaths over the past decade.
