We are failing to fight malaria

Dear editor,With 40 percent of the world’s population living in malaria-endemic regions, malaria is by far the most important tropical parasitic disease affecting humankind and killing more people than any other communicable disease, with the exception of tuberculosis. It is major cause of death in the under-five age group, in Africa. Children under five and pregnant women are the most vulnerable, with fatalities far exceeding those caused by HIV/AIDS. This is because these two groups have little or no protective immunity against the disease. As transmission depends on its mosquito vector, climate and geography also play an important role. Stagnant water creates new habitats for malaria-transmitting mosquitoes. Malaria has devastating side effects. Children surviving malaria may have impaired physical and cognitive development, as well as poor school attendance, which may interfere with their opportunities of education and future employment. Control programs include a combination of mosquito control factors, such as indoor sprays, insecticide-treated bed nets, and environmental manipulation. The main challenges facing malaria control programs, such as the emergence of drug resistance and mosquito insecticide resistance, make key control strategies less effective. Worse above all, is the degree of inefficiency of the malaria drug. I do think that enough effort is put in the research to get the right drug. After all the disease is African and the West has no time to do the research. Therefore, if African scientists do not come up vehemently to research on the right drug, we are doomed. NYARUGENGE

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We are failing to fight malaria